California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit on behalf of California, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin against the Trump administration over the elimination of federal special education grants. The suit challenges the discontinuation of millions of dollars allocated for training special education staff across these states.
The lawsuit centers on grants that funded professional development and training programs for educators working with students with disabilities. The Trump administration terminated this funding stream without providing states with adequate notice or opportunity for comment, according to the complaint.
Bonta argues the administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) by eliminating the grants without following proper rulemaking procedures. Federal agencies must provide notice of proposed rule changes and allow public comment periods before implementing major policy shifts. The complaint alleges the administration bypassed these protections.
The funding supported critical training in areas like evidence-based teaching methods for students with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and other conditions. States relied on these federal dollars to prepare teachers for specialized instruction. Loss of the grants forces schools to absorb training costs or eliminate professional development programs.
Special education law requires states to provide free, appropriate public education to students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Federal grants supplement state spending. Discontinuing them without transition periods strains school budgets and potentially compromises the quality of special education services.
The multistate coalition represents the first coordinated challenge to Trump administration education policy cuts. Other states may join the lawsuit. Similar challenges to federal funding reductions across healthcare, environmental, and social services are expected as the administration implements its budget consolidation agenda.
The case raises questions about executive authority to eliminate grant programs and whether the administration must follow APA procedures before discontinuing federal funding commitments to states. A federal court will determine whether the funding cuts violated procedural requirements or exceeded executive power.