A coalition led by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island, the National Education Association, and researchers filed suit against the U.S. Department of Education over the discontinuation of 28 grants intended to train teachers working with English learners. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island on June 3, targets the department’s decision to terminate multi-year grants. The plaintiffs argue the department ignored established criteria for grant evaluation and instead relied on ideological screening tied to isolated DEI language references. They also point to broader operational upheaval since early 2025, including layoffs that reduced dedicated program officers and an organizational restructuring affecting the program’s placement. The suit seeks a declaration that the terminations were unlawful, vacatur of grant discontinuation notices, and new continuation decisions based on program performance rather than the cited rationale. The Education Department did not respond to requests for comment.