Donald Trump Seeks Supreme Court Approval to Cut Funds For Teacher Training

Donald Trump is once again shaking things up in Washington—this time, taking it all the way to the Supreme Court. The president is seeking emergency approval to cut off hundreds of millions in federal funding for teacher training programs that support educators across the country.

The move is part of Trump’s broader plan to push back against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. It’s also tied to his long-running efforts to reshape the Department of Education and dismantle programs that his administration labels as “woke” spending.

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According to PageSix and other outlets, this isn’t Trump’s first legal fight in 2025—but it might be one of the most impactful, especially for schools already struggling with a nationwide teacher shortage.

Back in Boston, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun—a Biden appointee—put a temporary stop to Trump’s cuts. Joun agreed with eight Democratic-led states who said the cuts were unjust, possibly unlawful, and definitely harmful to students and teachers alike.

Why These Teacher Training Programs Matter So Much

The programs under fire—the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) and Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED)—aren’t just random budget lines. These two major initiatives hand out more than $600 million in federal grants aimed at developing, training, and retaining teachers in high-need subject areas like math, science, and special education.

State officials argue that these programs are working. Data shows they’ve helped schools keep skilled teachers in classrooms for five years or more, boosting teacher retention rates where it matters most.

Cutting them, critics say, would hurt not only the teachers but the millions of students they support—especially in underserved communities.

But Trump’s administration doesn’t see it that way.

Officials argue that the programs fall under a broader umbrella of wasteful spending tied to progressive DEI agendas. They’ve labeled them “non-essential” and have already taken steps to halt disbursements, starting back in February.

Federal Courts Push Back On Trump’s Cuts

This isn’t just a small courtroom scuffle—it’s a national-level legal showdown.

After Judge Joun blocked the budget cuts, the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston backed him up and denied Trump’s request to restart the cuts immediately. The panel, made up of judges appointed by Democratic presidents, said the administration didn’t provide enough justification to go forward.

Under federal law, if a sitting administration wants to make sweeping budgetary changes to active programs, they have to give a clear and reasonable explanation. So far, the courts say Trump’s team hasn’t done that.

Now, the case is in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court, where the former president’s legal team hopes for a fast-track reversal. But that’s not the only battle Trump is fighting.

Other Legal Moves by the Trump Administration

Trump’s legal team is stacking appeals like poker chips. Beyond the education funding case, the administration has filed at least three other emergency requests:

One challenging court orders that blocked attempts to restrict birthright citizenship.
Another pushing back on a ruling that required the rehiring of thousands of federal workers.

A third looking to allow Trump to fire independent federal watchdogs without Senate approval.
The Supreme Court hasn’t ruled on those yet—but they already rejected a previous Trump bid to freeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid. And even though the justices didn’t allow him to remove the head of a federal watchdog agency, a lower court later ruled in his favor, ousting Office of Special Counsel head Hampton Dellinger.