From university funding freezes to attempts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED), schools, teachers unions, and state leaders have attempted to halt the Trump administration’s education agenda at every opportunity.
Since taking office in January, the administration has faced about 70 lawsuits concerning education as of Dec. 22, many still ongoing, according to a review by Education Week. Most of the legal challenges stemmed from grant terminations, attempts to dismantle the department. and anti-diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) directives.
Some of the grants ED sought to end included explicit mentions of prioritizing certain races and genders, such as the mental health grants originally meant to send more health care experts to schools. Yet a lawsuit pioneered by 16 Democrat-led states forced the department to renew the grants at the end of the year despite ED providing an alternative that fulfilled the same purpose without the discrimination.
Grant terminations spurred 11 lawsuits in 2025, according to Education Week.
At least 10 lawsuits were inspired by mass employee layoffs and similar actions ultimately meant to make the Education Department moot. A battle to fire approximately 1,400 staff made its way to the Supreme Court after blue states once again sought to hinder Trump’s agenda.
Harvard’s infamous battle with the Trump administration, which the Ivy League school ultimately won, is just one example of lawsuits generated from cuts and threats to university funding. Five legal battles this year revolved around this issue, and another five stemmed from general education-focused funding freezes.
Attempts to keep men out of women’s private spaces led to five lawsuits. Most notably, President Donald Trump and Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills got into a public spat in February during which the governor declined to comply with Trump’s ban on men in women’s sports. The resulting cut to funding was immediately met with a lawsuit.
Teachers unions were not particularly fond of the administration informing student loan borrowers that they are responsible for paying off the debt they took out. After former President Joe Biden took advantage of every loophole to forgive billions in debt, ED was forced to settle with the American Federation, promising to continue processing loan forgiveness under several programs.
Five lawsuits were focused on student loan repayments, Education Week found.
Another four lawsuits were brought on immigration-related issues. The Trump administration in July acquiesced to a challenge from 24 Democrat-led states and the District of Columbia to keep $7 billion in federal funding for adult education programs and after-school classes that went in part toward teaching immigrants English.
Administration efforts to deport foreign students studying in the U.S. who engaged in pro-Hamas protests were similarly met with lawsuits.
The majority of the lawsuits were filed near the beginning of the year, with April taking the cake at 18 new filings, and March in second place with 13, according to Education Week.
About 52 cases have already seen their day in court. Lower courts ruled in Trump’s favor 16 times, and against his administration 36 times, according to Education week. Higher courts were more likely to rule in Trump’s favor, siding with the president 24 times and against him 28 times.
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