Washington State Superintendent Chris Reykdal says he will not sign the Trump administration’s order to end diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in public schools.
Federal officials argue DEI programs violate civil rights law, which bans discrimination based on race, color, or national origin.
In a letter to the Federal Education Department, Superintendent Reykdal appears to question the legality of the order, writing in part, “Washington will not suppress its core values or cede our right to determine our own education system to the federal government.”
If the trump administration doesn’t accept the state’s response, Washington will join several Democratic-led states at risk of losing federal education dollars, including Title I funds.
Title I is a federal grant program that supports districts with students from low-income families.
According to data from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, it accounts for more than 12% of our total federal education funding, and benefits about 1/3 of Washington schools, serving 300,000 students.
Some Title I schools include the Puyallup School District, Tacoma Public Schools, Federal Way School District, Everett Public Schools, and Kent School District.
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