Federal funding cuts threaten California students’ educational opportunities | Opinion

The dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) and the attacks on universities, such as UC Berkeley, Cal Poly Humboldt, and California State University, San Bernardino, have many Californians rightfully worried.

Over half the department’s staff — about 1,300 workers — has been fired as part of the Trump administration’s federal layoffs. These employees oversaw funding disbursement for educational research, the enforcement of enforcing civil rights issues, the collection of data on schools and the management of federal financial aid. Critically, the U.S. Department of Education ensures equal access to education for disadvantaged and disabled students. Although President Donald Trump has said that federal student loan programs will shift to the Small Business Administration, that agency is also eliminating over 40% of its workforce (about 2,500 jobs).

Federal funding for UC and CSU

In early 2025, the Department of Education began collecting public complaints about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in schools and said that they would cut federal funding to colleges and universities that continued with DEI activities. According to the White House, over 60 public and private universities are currently under investigation by the federal government as part of the administration’s anti-DEI efforts.

In mid-March, in response to these threats, the University of California Board of Regents eliminated required diversity statements for new hires. While the university had no systemwide policies requiring the submission of diversity statements as part of employment applications, some programs and departments at UC campuses have required the statements.

“The value of research universities — and of all higher education — is being debated and threatened,” UC President Michael V. Drake said during his March 19, 2025 opening remarks at a UC Board of Regents meeting. “I have heard from many members of our community that they are feeling worried and frightened.”

Programs in the California State University (CSU) system, the largest public four-year system of higher education in the country, have also required diversity statements for hiring. CSU officials are worried about how the freezing of federal funds over DEI activities might negatively impact their current and future federal grants and contracts, among them:

• Cal Poly Humboldt’s Schatz Energy Research Center received $23 million for its technical development role in the Tribal Energy Resilience and Sovereignty Project. The project will provide reliable energy to address the frequent and prolonged power outages among the Hoopa, Yurok, Karuk and Blue Lake Rancheria Tribes in Humboldt County.
• San José State received $10.6 million from the U.S. Department of Education for its Gaining Early Awareness for Undergraduate Programs, which provides academic support services, college and career preparation services, financial aid guidance and mental health support to students from seventh grade to their first year of post-secondary education.
• Sonoma State University received almost $8 million for its EdEon program, a STEM Learning Center funded by the U.S. Department of Education, NASA and the National Science Foundation. The program creates experiences in education for secondary and college students and develops learning opportunities for students and educators.

At the March 25, 2025 Board of Trustees meeting, CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia reported that the university system is working with California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office, which has teamed up with a coalition of attorneys general filing a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s “abrupt and unlawful rescission of prior agency actions that preserved states’ access to hundreds of millions of dollars in funding.”

A CSU report shows federal agencies contribute 63% of the funding for CSU’s research partnerships, with state sources providing an additional 23%. This includes $161 million from the Department of Health and Human Services; $114 million from the Department of Education; $75 million from the National Science Foundation; $31 million from the Department of Agriculture; and $29 million from the Department of Defense.

DEI in education

The purpose of DEI initiatives is to promote fair treatment, full participation and a sense of belonging for all individuals within an organization. DEI aims to address and correct discriminatory practices and policies, ensuring that everyone — especially historically underrepresented or marginalized groups — has equal opportunities and feels valued.

According to experts, when effectively implemented, DEI efforts can enhance employee engagement, reduce turnover, encourage innovation and improve organizational performance.

Impact on students with disabilities

The Department of Education is responsible for enforcing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provides and protects free public education for children with disabilities. The act provides grants to states for supporting special education and early intervention services. State educational agencies, colleges, universities and nonprofit organizations receive grants from the department to support research, assistance and parent-training.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 21% of undergraduates and 11% of post-baccalaureate students reported having a disability. Every UC and CSU campus has services to support students with disabilities. According to publicly available statistical data, over 25,000 students in the CSU received disability assistance at the 23 campuses — or 5.66% of the students enrolled in fall 2023. It remains unclear whether funding for these students will continue with the elimination of the Department of Education.

Helping people with disabilities in education promotes inclusion, a sense of belonging and acceptance. Students receive support that can improve their physical, emotional and cognitive development, helping them reach their full potential. Overall, helping students with disabilities not only benefits them as individuals, it also enriches our society.

The dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education adversely affects university research activities and educational opportunities for millions of California students who benefit from the enforcement of equal education opportunity laws.

This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Federal funding cuts threaten California students’ educational opportunities | Opinion."