For decades, Title I funding has been a financial backbone for schools serving low-income and predominantly Black students, helping pay for things like after-school tutoring. But now, those funds are in legal limbo, caught in a political fight over race, education, and federal control.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education issued a directive giving schools two weeks to eliminate DEI programs or risk losing billions in federal funding. The order has triggered immediate backlash from education and civil rights groups.
Late last week, a federal judge in Baltimore temporarily blocked it, putting enforcement of the executive order on hold — for now — and leaving schools in a state of uncertainty.
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“It’s a form of domestic terrorism,” says Dr. Aaron Pallas, a professor of sociology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University. “If the goal has been to sow chaos and administer as much pain as possible, this executive order has been doing just that.”
What’s at Stake for Black Students?
Established in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty Act, Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is particularly directed at school districts and schools with concentrations of children who, unfortunately, often live below the poverty line, Pallas explains. “It’s one of the rare instances where there’s bipartisan support for federal involvement in education because it directly benefits the most vulnerable students.”
Today, Title I provides over $18 billion annually to schools serving predominantly low-income students, a disproportionate number of whom are Black. According to the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics, 37% of Black students attended high-poverty public schools compared to 7% of white students.
Title I funding helps level the playing field by assisting schools in reducing class sizes and implementing teacher retention programs, providing tutoring for struggling students, and paying for after-school and summer learning programs. It also helps low-income districts afford special education and mental health services.
If Title I funding is revoked or delayed, the consequences for Black students could be devastating and wide-ranging. These include eliminating academic support programs, leading to increased learning gaps; teacher shortages, resulting in overcrowded classrooms in underfunded schools; a loss of critical resources like school counselors and social workers; and a widening funding gap between wealthy and low-income districts.
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In addition, losing Title I programs could hurt Republican-led states that depend on federal dollars for education the most. National Education Policy Center data shows that solidly red states, like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee, rely on money from Washington for a large portion of their K-12 budgets.
Yet, despite the potential fallout, Pallas says many Republican lawmakers have remained silent.
“The puzzling thing right now is figuring out how much backbone Republican members of Congress are going to have in standing up against some of these cuts, especially if they hit their own constituents,” Pallas notes. “That’s worrisome because we’re not seeing as much resistance as I hoped for at this point.”
A Political Power Play Designed to Instill Fear
Not long after taking office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order claiming that school DEI programs promote division and suppress merit-based education policies. Under the directive, schools that refuse to eliminate DEI initiatives — including teacher training programs on racial bias, equity-focused hiring practices, and culturally responsive curriculum —risk losing federal dollars.
The threat left many school districts scrambling to comply. However, Dr. Pallas believes the administration is testing its limits; it will take a lot of undoing of statutes, he says, to make Trump’s order a reality.
“It’s a form of domestic terrorism.”
DR. AARON PALLAS
“The order was designed to inspire fear,” Pallas says. “Many institutions were terrified that all these funds they’ve relied on would disappear. The fear is so great that some schools have already begun scrubbing websites or pausing diversity-related initiatives. It did, I think, propel some institutions to act sooner than they needed to.”
Pallas says the executive branch has very “limited power” because only Congress, which authorizes Title I funding, can end it. However, the White House can slow-walk funding, which could cause significant disruptions ahead of the upcoming school year.
“The executive branch can delay disbursement of congressionally authorized funds, but it generally has not had the ability to cancel them,’ he says. “However, most school budgets depend on a predictable funding stream, and when that’s disrupted, it creates enormous challenges for districts that serve the highest-need students.”
What’s Next?
As legal battles continue to unfold, the potential impact on Title I hangs in the balance.
“I think the worst would be the executive order winding its way up to the Supreme Court, and (the court) concluding that the president has the power to do this,” says Pallas. “I don’t know where they will land on this particular issue. But I’m hoping that having their authority questioned will piss them off and cause them to push back.”
Still, Pallas says it’s important that everyone keep advocacy alive.
“The most important thing is to organize and give a collective voice,” he says. “Voices that are pointed together are stronger than individual voices.”
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