Department of Education Cancels Another $350 Million in Contracts and Grants
“Review of the contracts uncovered wasteful and ideologically driven spending not in the interest of students and taxpayers”
It’s amazing that Trump is not only getting this done, but that it’s happening so quickly.
Inside Higher Ed reports:
Education Department Cancels Another $350M in Contracts, Grants
The U.S. Education Department has canceled 10 contracts with Regional Educational Laboratories totaling $336 million and a further $33 million of grants to Equity Assistance Centers.
The decision, announced Friday, appears to be another example of Elon Musk’s U.S. Department of Government Efficiency slashing the department’s activities and of anti–diversity, equity and inclusion activist Christopher Rufo’s continuing influence. The cuts also seem to part of the Trump administration’s crusade against programs that could be considered DEI-related, but it’s unclear what all the canceled contracts and grants were actually for.
Regional Educational Laboratories, or RELs, have been around for more than a half century. Among other things, they contribute “research on how experiences within the nation’s education system differ by context and student group, thereby impacting outcomes,” according to the website of the Institute of Education Sciences, which administers the 10 RELs.
On Feb. 10, the Trump administration said it canceled nearly $900 million in Institute of Education Sciences contracts. Then, on Thursday night—in a news release titled “U.S. Department of Education Cancels Additional $350 Million in Woke Spending”—the department announced the severing of the REL contracts.
“Review of the contracts uncovered wasteful and ideologically driven spending not in the interest of students and taxpayers,” the department said. It said REL Midwest “has been advising schools in Ohio to undertake ‘equity audits’ and equity conversations.”
But the release didn’t say how much REL Midwest was receiving for that work or further explain what the other canceled contracts were for. The department said in an email Friday that no further information was “cleared for release.”
President Trump has said he plans to close the Education Department, but the release suggested that these contract cancellations might not be part of a permanent reduction in spending. “The department plans to enter into new contracts that will satisfy the statutory requirements, improve student learning and better serve school districts, state departments of education and other education stakeholders,” the release said.
The release also said the department “terminated grants to four Equity Assistance Centers totaling $33 million, which supported divisive training in DEI, critical race theory and gender identity for state and local education agencies as well as school boards.” It didn’t hint at restoring this funding.
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Comments
“It’s amazing that Trump is not only getting this done, but that it’s happening so quickly.”
Because he’s doing his job, not just sitting in the big chair.
…and staring out the windows at other people’s countries instead of his own, shipping out wealth to some and inviting in the dregs of others.
For every DEI contract canceled, there are 10 more with it written somewhere into their terms even though they are theoretically about something else,
Don’t stop!
Obviously, this is money not well spent. Look at the test scores. However, it is a good example of how bureaucrats work the system to stay employed. It is also a good example of abysmal congressional oversight. Ask your rep if he supports this program and why?
Everyday I get up and check to see what else Trump has fixed. Everyday its more good news.
The Swamp is deep and there is so much more to cut