A broad coalition of K-12 education leaders urged the Trump administration to soften proposed changes to federal “uniform grants guidance” after receiving 500,000 public comments by the July 13 deadline. The draft rule would add new restrictions tied to presidential policy positions and expand political appointee power in reviewing discretionary grants. Education and science groups warned that the change could undermine rigorous, independent education research by limiting topics and activities that federal funds may support. The proposal also would allow early termination of active awards and restrict grant-funded attendance at professional development conferences. The American Educational Research Association and 19 other organizations said the administration should withdraw the proposal in its entirety, arguing that the current peer-review model is designed to keep grant decisions insulated from political control. The administration says it is targeting a “woke” agenda, while opponents frame it as a threat to evidence-based program evaluation.