Illinois defies federal funding threats over DEI
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Axios Visuals
Illinois officials are standing defiant in the face of threats from President Trump's Department of Education to withhold federal funding over DEI policies.
Why it matters: Federal funding makes up 16% of the Chicago Public Schools budget, according to the mayor's office, putting more than $1 billion at stake for CPS and $6.4 billion across the state.
- Even if officials wanted to comply with the demands, exactly how they would achieve full compliance remains unclear.
Catch up quick: Last Thursday, the DOE sent letters to state school officials across the country, giving them 10 days to submit a certification form vouching that their policies are aligned with federal directives ending DEI practices.
Zoom in: The certification form cites Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, saying no person "shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
The irony: Last month, the Trump administration said it was moving to dissolve the DOE in order "to return education authority to the states."
What they're saying: "Illinois will never waver in its commitment to helping every child from every community, background, socioeconomic status, gender, and race — which is consistent with federal and state laws and our values," Illinois State Board of Education officials said in a statement.
Meanwhile: Mayor Brandon Johnson last week threatened to sue the DOE over the action, but this week, his representatives say he meant to more generally advocate for legal pushback to the Trump administration's demands.
- In an official statement, the mayor said: "The administration specifically threatened to defund our Title I schools, which are our high-poverty schools that serve our children with the highest needs."
- As COVID-era education dollars run out, he added, Chicago needs more, not less, federal funding.
- "We will do everything in our power to fight back against this overreach from the federal government, including exploring all of our legal options in response to any potential cuts," he said.
Johnson notes that the tentative Chicago Teachers Union contract ensures "that teachers can teach Black history and a culturally relevant curriculum."
- "As a former social studies teacher, whitewashing our history is an affront to my discipline," Johnson said.
The other side: DOE officials did not respond to Axios requests for details on compliance, so it remains unclear if teaching Black history, for example, would violate the directive.
Threat level: While the legality of withholding funds over DEI policies is questionable, the administration has already frozen $790 million allocated to Northwestern University over allegations of antisemitism and what the administration claims are civil rights violations under DEI efforts.
The latest: Yesterday, ISBE responded to the DOE request with a letter saying it has already certified its Title VI compliance, and expressing concern over attempts to change the conditions of its funding without a formal process.