WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is redirecting nearly $500 million in federal funding toward historically Black colleges (HBCUs) and tribal colleges, a significant investment that aims to support minority educational institutions. This funding shift comes primarily by implementing cuts to other colleges that serve large numbers of Hispanic students.
The U.S. Department of Education announced this funding boost shortly after cutting $350 million from grants primarily reserved for Hispanic-serving institutions. Officials declared those grants unconstitutional due to their eligibility criteria based solely on racial enrollment thresholds.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon emphasized the redirection of funds, stating that the department aims to support programs that encourage student success while eliminating what she described as 'ineffective and discriminatory programs.' According to the Education Department, this funding represents a 48% increase for HBCUs and more than doubles the funding for tribal colleges and universities.
Along with HBCU and tribal college funding, approximately $60 million has been allocated toward charter schools, with an additional $137 million for American history and civics grants. In January, President Trump had directed the agency to repurpose federal funding towards charter schools and school choice initiatives.
The Education Department's actions illustrate a trend that prioritizes certain educational initiatives while cutting others deemed less beneficial to students, as highlighted through a stopgap funding bill passed by Congress, which granted the executive branch greater control over federal spending decisions.
This funding shift has sparked backlash, particularly from Democrats, who argue that the cuts to minority-serving grants could undermine decades of progress in educational equity. The Hispanic Serving Institution program, established in 1998 to increase college access and graduation rates for Latino students, now faces significant reductions, along with other programs aimed at supporting various minority groups, including Black, Native American, and Asian American students.
Critics claim these cuts threaten social mobility initiatives that historically have had bipartisan support, giving rise to concerns over access to higher education for disadvantaged communities.
McMahon’s statements reflect the administration's dedication to reshaping federal education funding to enhance merit-based support for educational institutions while navigating the complexities of racial equity in education funding.
