Nineteen states filed suit challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s April 3 Agency Action, which directed State and Local Education Agencies (SEAs and LEAs) to complete a new certification related to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Under longstanding practice, SEAs and LEAs provide written assurances that they comply with Title VI as a condition of receiving federal education funds that support programs for low-income students, special education, English language learners, teacher recruitment and training, and other critical services. The plaintiffs allege that the April 3 Agency Action departs from this established process and imposes new, vague, and unlawful requirements that effectively condition billions of dollars in federal funding on agreement with an unsupported interpretation of Title VI. The States argue that the action exceeds statutory authority, fails to comply with required procedural safeguards, and threatens the immediate withdrawal of essential federal funds, creating severe harm to students, including those with disabilities and other vulnerable populations. The States reaffirmed their existing Title VI certifications but declined to comply with the April 3 Agency Action, asserting that it is unlawful, unconstitutional, and unauthorized.
