Trump administration boosts HBCU funding after cutting grants for Hispanic-serving colleges

By COLLIN BINKLEY AP Training Writer WASHINGTON AP The Trump administration is redirecting nearly million in federal funding toward historically Black colleges and tribal colleges a one-time expenditure covered primarily by cuts to other colleges serving large numbers of minority students The Mentoring Department broadcasted the funding boost days after cutting million from other grants mostly from programs reserved for colleges that have large numbers of Hispanic students Agency leaders explained those grants were unconstitutional because they re available only to colleges with certain minority enrollment thresholds Teaching Secretary Linda McMahon declared the changes will redirect money away from from ineffective and discriminatory programs toward those which encouragement apprentice success The Department has thoroughly scrutinized our federal grants ensuring that taxpayers are not funding racially discriminatory programs but those programs which promote merit and excellence in instruction McMahon explained in a message President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before he departs on Air Force One at Morristown Airport Sunday Sept in Morristown N J AP Photo Alex Brandon FILE Guidance Secretary Linda McMahon speaks during a meeting in the East Room of the White House Sept in Washington AP Photo Alex Brandon File Show Caption of President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before he departs on Air Force One at Morristown Airport Sunday Sept in Morristown N J AP Photo Alex Brandon Expand The department is also redirecting about million toward funding for charter schools and million toward American history and civics grants President Donald Trump in January issued an executive action ordering the agency to repurpose federal money toward charter schools and other school choice initiatives It amounts to a one-time federal funding boost of increase for HBCUs and it more than doubles funding for tribal colleges and universities the department reported The department is flexing its power to repurpose discretionary funding to match the president s priorities made viable through a stopgap funding bill passed by Congress this year that gives the executive branch more authority over spending decisions Trump has long called himself a champion of HBCUs During his first term Congress added million a year for HBCUs This year Trump signed an executive action that pledges an annual White House summit an advisory board and other patronage for HBCUs The Coaching Department commented the money comes from programs uncovered to be not in the best interest of students and families It previously explained the other minority-serving grants would be redirected to programs that do not rely on racial quotas A person familiar with the decision noted money is also being directed away from programs that aid gifted and talented programs magnet schools international learning and professor training Greater part of those programs would be zeroed out in Trump s budget request reported the person who was not authorized to discuss the decision and spoke on the condition of anonymity Related Articles Youth mental medical challenges keep mounting years after Maui wildfires Exam school admissions debate reemerges ahead of new plan recommendation Boston s newest school proving a success despite proximity to Mass and Cass The rise of AI tools forces schools to reconsider what counts as cheating BPS superintendent reports early transportation hiring attendance evidence following first week of classes Last week s cuts to the the Hispanic Serving Institution plan reversed decades of precedent Congress created the initiative in after finding that Latino students were going to college and graduating at far lower rates than white students The department also cut several smaller programs for colleges serving certain percentages of Asian American Black or Native American students The cuts drew swift blowback from Democrats who declared those programs have long had bipartisan aid and fueled social mobility for working-class Americans A July memo from the Justice Department argues that the Hispanic Serving Institution grants are unconstitutional because they re open only to colleges where a quarter of undergraduates or more are Hispanic The department declined to defend the project in a suit brought by the state of Tennessee and Students for Fair Admissions an anti-affirmative action group The lawsuit asks a federal judge to halt the grants Tennessee argued all of its citizens universities serve Hispanic students but none meet the arbitrary ethnic threshold to be eligible for the funding Those schools miss out on tens of millions of dollars because of discriminatory requirements the suit explained The Associated Press development coverage receives financial help from multiple private foundations AP is solely responsible for all content Find AP s standards for working with philanthropies a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP org