On March 6, 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Massachusetts, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin co-led a coalition of 8 attorneys general in filing a federal lawsuit in Massachusetts challenging the Trump administration’s termination of grant funding for nationwide K-12 teacher preparation programs. These grants are aimed at reversing a national shortage of K-12 teachers in high-need areas across the country and in subjects where finding qualified candidates is particularly difficult, including math and special education. The coalition argued that the terminations, impacting institutions across the nation and which were issued without warning and with immediate effect, violated the Administrative Procedure Act. The attorneys general were initially granted a temporary restraining order (TRO) stopping the termination of grants, but the Supreme Court later granted a stay of the TRO allowing the administration to go forward with terminating the multi-year grant programs while litigation is ongoing. The Supreme Court’s Order does not conclusively resolve the issues of the case, and the coalition remains committed to fighting to protect these grants.

The Trump Administration is pursuing an anti-education agenda that would yank teachers out of schools and prevent new teachers-in-training who are close to being ready to serve our students from filling empty classrooms. While we would have preferred to maintain the TRO, we respect the court process, and we look forward to continuing to make our case in the lower court. California and our multistate coalition remain committed to fighting, so that our kids — especially those in high-poverty or high need schools — have access to qualified, talented teachers and a quality education. Attorney General Rob Bonta