WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is redirecting nearly $500 million in federal funding toward historically Black colleges and tribal colleges, a one-time investment covered primarily by cuts to other colleges serving large numbers of minority students.
The Education Department announced the funding boost days after cutting $350 million from other grants, mostly from programs reserved for colleges that have large numbers of Hispanic students. Agency leaders stated that these grants were unconstitutional due to their exclusive eligibility criteria.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon commented on the reallocation saying, The Department has carefully scrutinized our federal grants, ensuring that taxpayers are not funding racially discriminatory programs but those programs which promote merit and excellence in education.
The new allocation includes about $60 million for charter schools and $137 million for American history and civics grants, aligning with President Donald Trump's executive actions that favor school choice initiatives.
This funding represents a 48% increase for HBCUs and more than doubles the support for tribal colleges, nurturing education and support for these historically marginalized institutions. The government is exerting its authority to redirect discretionary funding to fulfill the president’s educational priorities as authorized by a recently passed funding bill in Congress.
Trump has painted himself as a champion for HBCUs, securing a consistent yearly allocation of $250 million during his first term, along with ongoing commitments for further executive support. The Education Department maintains that funds will be pulled from programs deemed ineffective or reliant on racial quotas, including various initiatives for gifted education and magnet schools.
Recent funding cuts to the Hispanic Serving Institution program have drawn cross-party backlash, being criticized for undermining social mobility and support programs for working-class Americans. The reallocation strategy has stirred a contentious debate on equity in higher education funding.
