By: Richard L. Smith
A U.S. District Court in Massachusetts has temporarily halted the Trump Administration’s abrupt termination of federal grants that support K-12 teacher preparation programs.
The ruling comes as multiple states, led by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, seek a preliminary injunction to prevent the funding cuts from taking effect.
Attorney General Platkin, who co-led a coalition of eight attorneys general in filing a lawsuit last week challenging the funding termination, welcomed the court’s decision.
“I am pleased that the Court has intervened to stop the Trump Administration’s unlawful attempt to undermine our education system,” Platkin said.
“Students in New Jersey deserve access to the highest-quality education, and we will not stand by as these essential teacher training programs are dismantled. The president does not have unchecked power to unilaterally strip away funding for critical education initiatives. We will continue to fight for our students, teachers, and schools.”
The lawsuit comes at a time when the U.S. is experiencing a severe teacher shortage. In 2024, more than 400,000 teaching positions—roughly one in eight nationwide—were either unfilled or occupied by uncertified instructors.
A lack of qualified educators can lead to larger class sizes, canceled courses, and less effective instruction.
To help address this crisis, Congress established grant programs such as the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development to fund teacher recruitment, training, and retention.
These federally allocated grants were designed to strengthen the teacher pipeline, particularly in high-need areas like math, science, special education, and schools in rural or underserved communities.
However, on February 7, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education abruptly revoked these grants nationwide, immediately stripping hundreds of millions of dollars from K-12 teacher training programs across the country.
The cuts have already begun to disrupt schools and universities that depend on these funds to train aspiring educators.
In New Jersey, the College of New Jersey and Montclair State University—both recognized for their exceptional teacher preparation programs—were among those affected.
The universities were informed that their grants had been terminated without prior notice or explanation.
Montclair State University has used its grant to recruit and train teachers for the Newark Board of Education and Orange Public Schools, with a focus on subjects like math, science, and special education.
The College of New Jersey had been running a teacher residency program in which aspiring educators worked full-time in classrooms alongside experienced mentors.
Many of these trainees, scheduled to graduate in spring 2025, were expecting to enter the workforce in the upcoming school year. 
The funding cuts also threaten university staff positions, reducing or eliminating financial support for future educators who rely on these programs to complete their training.
Alongside New Jersey, the lawsuit has the backing of California, Massachusetts, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin, all of which stand to lose critical funding for teacher training programs.
With the court’s ruling temporarily blocking the funding cuts, the states will continue their legal battle to ensure these essential programs remain in place and that the next generation of teachers receives the support they need to succeed.