Funding Cuts Target Diversity Programs and Research Initiatives
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced a sweeping reduction in Education Department funding on Monday night, slashing contracts and grants supporting diversity initiatives and educational research. According to an official post on X, DOGE confirmed the termination of 89 contracts totaling $881 million, though specific details on the affected programs were not provided. Additionally, the agency canceled 29 training grants focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), amounting to $101 million in lost funding.
One of the now-defunct DEI grants aimed to train educators to guide students through discussions on historical oppression, privilege, and power structures. These cuts come as part of broader policy shifts within the administration, reshaping federal support for education initiatives.
Institute of Education Sciences Among the Hardest Hit
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the administration is also cutting approximately 170 contracts associated with the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), a research division within the Education Department Funding . The American Institutes for Research (AIR), a nonprofit dedicated to behavioral and social science studies, confirmed receiving multiple termination notices for its IES-related projects.
IES plays a crucial role in studying special education and student learning outcomes. Critics argue that defunding these research programs eliminates valuable insights into effective education policies, potentially leading to uninformed decision-making in the future.
Impending Executive Order and Leadership Confirmation
The funding reductions coincide with anticipated structural changes within the Education Department. The president is expected to sign an executive order later this month aimed at further downsizing the agency. Meanwhile, Linda McMahon, the nominee for Education Secretary, is set to testify before Congress on Thursday, where she is likely to face questions about these budget cuts and their broader implications.
Dana Tofig, a spokesperson for AIR, voiced concerns over the financial losses, emphasizing that taxpayer investments in ongoing education research would now yield no return. “If the goal is to ensure efficient use of federal funds, eliminating evaluations and data-driven research contradicts that objective,” Tofig stated.
Both DOGE and the Education Department funding have yet to respond to inquiries regarding the cuts and their long-term impact on federal education policy.
