Several states rebuke certification requirement threatening federal education funds over DEI initiatives.

School districts across multiple states have been granted a reprieve from a Trump administration directive mandating they certify the non-use of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in their programs, with the deadline now pushed to April 24. This decision follows a lawsuit by the National Education Association and the ACLU aiming to block federal enforcement of these anti-DEI requirements. The controversy escalated after an April 3 memo from the U.S. Department of Education hinted that non-compliance could lead to the loss of federal funding. States like New York, Minnesota, and Washington have openly rejected these demands, arguing that the definitions of 'illegal DEI practices' are vague and infringe upon state autonomy. The issue has broader implications as it ties back to the recent Supreme Court ruling overturning race-conscious admissions policies in higher education and speaks to a larger national debate about the role of identity and equity in education. This situation illustrates the complex dynamics between federal directives and state autonomy when it comes to educational policies related to inclusivity.