Recent executive orders claim to protect civil rights and merit-based opportunity by "ending illegal DEI" and DEI discrimination in the federal workforce, federal contracting and spending.
Republican leaders in Congress want to eliminate two key tax relief programs—the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit—that could help defray the cost of college or job training courses for students.
S.B. 1 would ban diversity and inclusion efforts, prevent faculty from striking, set rules around classroom discussion, put diversity scholarships at risk, shorten university board of trustees terms and require students take an American history course, among other things.
Linda McMahon, President Trump's pick for the Department of Education, hinted at several ways she plans to lead the agency during her confirmation hearing last week.
President Trump's calls for reduced federal spending threaten to saddle states with more obligations. This could reduce discretionary spending on higher education, according to one expert from SHEEO.
Dismantling the agency could disrupt programs and protections that millions of students and families rely on, including federal Pell grants for low-income students, other key forms of financial aid and campus civil rights protections.
