Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has secured a temporary restraining order from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, blocking the Trump Administration's termination of K-12 teacher preparation pipeline grants. This decision comes as part of a lawsuit led by Bonta and seven other attorneys general seeking a preliminary injunction against the funding cut.

"The Trump Administration recklessly and unlawfully terminated grants that had been awarded and obligated to K-12 teacher preparation programs in California and across the country – without any regard for the teachers and students who would pay the price," said Attorney General Bonta. "This includes $8 million which California universities and colleges planned to use between now and September to make sure our schools have the teachers they need come fall. Today’s decision is a crucial early victory to ensure these grant dollars continue to flow and our kids get the passionate, qualified, good teachers they deserve."

In 2024, over 400,000 teaching positions in the United States were either vacant or filled by uncertified teachers. The lack of qualified educators can lead to larger class sizes, canceled courses, or classes taught by less capable instructors.

To combat this shortage, Congress established funding through programs like Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development. These funds were intended for training new teachers, creating pipelines for new educators, and improving teacher quality nationwide.

However, on February 7, 2025, the Department of Education terminated these grants with immediate effect across California and other states. In California alone, at least $148 million in grants were affected at institutions such as California State University Los Angeles; Chico State; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; and UCLA.

Attorney General Bonta is leading this legal challenge alongside Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin. They are joined by attorneys general from Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin.