09/11/2025

Programs for Students with Hearing and Vision Loss Harmed by Trump’s Anti-DEI Push

The U.S. Department of Education has halted funding for many of these programs

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has pulled funding for programs in eight states aimed at supporting students who have both hearing and vision loss; the move could affect some of the country’s most vulnerable students.

The programs are considered vital in those states and represent only a little over $1 million a year in federal money. Nonetheless, they got caught in the Trump administration's attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion, with a DOE spokesperson citing concerns about "divisive concepts" and "fairness" in acknowledging the decision to withhold the funding.

The funding, which was expected to continue through September 2028, will stop at the end of the month, according to letters from the DOE to local officials that were obtained by ProPublica. The government gave the programs seven days to ask officials to reconsider the decision

Please select this link to read the complete article from ProPublica.