Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today secured a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts temporarily blocking the Trump administration’s unlawful termination of K-12 teacher preparation pipeline grants while the states seek a preliminary injunction.
Attorney General Brown joined a coalition of eight attorneys general in filing a lawsuit challenging the termination of this funding last week.
“Funding a pipeline of well-trained teachers is an investment in our children’s and State’s future,” said Attorney General Brown. “This ruling ensures Maryland schools will continue receiving the resources they need while we keep fighting for our students in the courtroom.”
BACKGROUND – In 2024, more than 400,000 teaching positions in the U.S. — representing about one in eight of all teaching positions nationwide — were vacant or filled by uncertified teachers. When schools are unable to find qualified teachers, students suffer. Teacher shortages can result in larger class sizes, cancelled courses, or classes staffed with teachers less able to teach a subject.
To address the nationwide teacher shortage, especially for hard-to-fill subject areas, like math, science, and special education, and in hard-to-staff school districts in rural and urban areas, Congress established and allocated funding pursuant to the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development grant programs to train teachers, create a new teacher pipeline, and improve teacher quality.
The U.S. Department of Education subsequently awarded and obligated funds to states’ public universities and associated nonprofits grants under these programs to do exactly what Congress mandated — provide teacher training, placement, and retention, and new teacher pipeline development in the states.
Beginning on February 7, 2025, the Department of Education terminated, with immediate effect, grants awarded to K-12 teacher preparation programs in Maryland and nationwide. Hundreds of millions in grants have been terminated nationwide. These terminations would be felt immediately across Maryland schools who rely on these programs to bring teachers into their classrooms.
