Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey announced Friday that the state has reached a settlement with the Trump administration after the federal government took away funding to Maine’s schools over its transgender athlete policies.   “It’s unfortunate that my office had to resort to federal court just to get USDA to comply with the law and its own regulations. But we are pleased that the lawsuit has now been resolved and that Maine will continue to receive funds as directed by Congress to feed children and vulnerable adults,” Frey said.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) froze money to the state’s education programs after it refused to comply with President Trump’s executive order…

Correction: The Trump administration is proposing ending funding to Howard University related to the construction of a hospital. The information was incorrect in an earlier version of this story. The Trump administration is proposing not to renew a $64 million payment to Howard University. The money, a one time payment made to build the Howard University Hospital, is no longer needed with construction complete, the administration said in its budget proposal released Friday. Howard is the nation’s only federally chartered historically Black college or university (HBCU). The budget proposal comes days after Trump signed an order establishing a White House initiative on HBCUs to “deliver high-quality education to a growing…

President Trump is proposing massive cuts to education in his Friday budget request to Congress for fiscal 2026, including reduced funding for preschools, adult learning and the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights. “The President’s Skinny Budget reflects funding levels for an agency that is responsibly winding down, shifting some responsibilities to the states, and thoughtfully preparing a plan to delegate other critical functions to more appropriate entities. It supports the President’s vision of expanding school choice and ensuring every American has access to an excellent education,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. The biggest changes include consolidating 24 K-12 grant programs and seven Individuals with Disabilities Act…

President Trump on Friday announced plans to strip Harvard University of its tax-exempt status, escalating his feud with the Ivy League school.  “We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The declaration comes after his administration reportedly asked the IRS to revoke Harvard’s status last month, after Trump had suggested the idea on social media. Tax exemption is reserved for, among other categories, religious, charitable and educational organizations that meet 501(c)(3) qualifications with the IRS.  The president’s comments on the tax exemption status appear as part of an ongoing salvo with Harvard and higher education, particularly Ivy League…

Pro-Palestinian students detained by immigration authorities saw their biggest win to date this week with the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, though both his case and the fight at large have a long way to go.  While the ruling is not the kind of slam dunk that would make advocates feel safer about the state of free speech on college campuses, it is the first major breakthrough in the courts for international students who have been besieged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under President Trump.  “While this decision is a positive development, and we certainly hope there are more decisions like it coming down the road, I do think it…

Political commentator Bill O’Reilly said on Wednesday he’s “fine” with diversity and inclusion efforts but criticized the push for equity in the popularized diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.   “I’m fine with diversity, OK? I agree with [James] Carville on diversity. It’s a strength. And I’m fine with inclusion. I think everybody should have an equal pathway to pursue happiness,” the former Fox News host told media personality Steve Bannon on NewsNation on Wednesday night. “I hate equity because equity then favors one group or gender over another,” O’Reilly continued. The conversation took place during a NewsNation town hall on President Trump’s first 100 days of his second term.…

The Education Department announced Thursday it would be changing how universities change college accreditors while attempting to make it easier for new accreditors to get on the scene.  College accreditation is part of the process universities go through in order to receive federal student aid, with an accreditor evaluating everything a school does from class offerings to admission processes.   The department sent a “Dear Colleague” letter to universities informing them the process will be simplified for them to change accreditors.   The federal agency is also beginning reviews to add more accreditors to the arena after applications for new accreditors were paused under the Biden administration.   “We must…

Multiple current and former students at the University of Texas at Austin have sued the university and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) after the arrests of pro-Palestinian protesters last year. The lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, accuses the school and governor of violating the students’ First Amendment rights and Title VI during the mass arrests on April 24, 2024. The complaint came from four former and current students and was filed by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).  It alleges there was an “arrest quota” and police used excessive tactics such as tackling protesters, leaving marks on students with zip ties and…

The Education Department has opened a Title VI investigation into Chicago Public Schools over allegations of race-based discrimination.   The Trump administration says the Chicago district is accused of discriminating against students on the basis of race with its 2023-2024 “Black Students Success Plan,” which focused on measures to help Black students struggling in school.   “Chicago Public Schools have a record of academic failure, leaving students from all backgrounds and races struggling and ill-prepared to meet the challenges and enjoy the rewards of contemporary American life,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor.   “Rather than address its record honestly, CPS seeks to allocate additional resources to favored…