Deadline looms for schools to cut DEI programs or risk losing funding

The clock is ticking for schools across the United States to dismantle their diversity, equity and inclusion programs or risk losing federal funding.

The U.S. Department of Education has ordered state and K-12 school district leaders to certify “compliance with their antidiscrimination obligations,” which the Trump administration argues are violated by DEI programs that “advantage one race over another.”

School officials face a Thursday deadline to confirm the removal of DEI initiatives. If they don’t, they could face cuts to federal funds, which account for about 10% of public school budgets on average.