Trump administration urges US Supreme Court to vacate order reinstating education grant funding – JURIST
US President Donald Trump’s administration asked the US Supreme Court on Wednesday to vacate an order by a district court that reinstated federal grants to address teacher shortages.
The Trump administration argued that the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts lacked the jurisdiction to pay unless Congress “unequivocally” waives the government’s sovereign immunity. They further argued that the US Court of Federal Claims shall have jurisdiction to give judgment under the Tucker Act rather than the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) because the suit concerns an “express or implied contract with the United States.”
The administration said the US Court of Federal Claims has jurisdiction over the case because they have the expertise required to evaluate the contract issue. Further, the administration argued that the APA is the improper law under which to bring this suit because it does not allow for monetary damage awards, which the respondents are seeking, but rather is focused on statutory or constitutional theory.
The Trump administration rebutted the respondents’ argument that an agency’s determination of funding is subject to arbitrary and capricious review under the APA, arguing that “an agency’s determination of how to allot appropriated funds among competing priorities and recipients is classic discretionary agency action that is not susceptible to” such a standard of review.
The respondents included the states of California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin. The Trump administration had sought to cancel the Teacher Quality Partnership and the Supporting Effective Educator Development grants, which focused on teacher preparation and professional development. Both were found to have “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI) measures or projects, which Trump has expressed a commitment to ending.
The district court’s order allowed the eligible grantees to request the disbursement of funds, which the Trump administration hopes to pause, arguing that it will be difficult to recover such funds.
The suit is the latest attempt from the Trump administration to dismantle the Department of Education or siphon funds away from its programs.
