Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, representing a coalition of 19 attorneys general, struck a deal with the Trump administration, safeguarding significant federal education funding. This agreement, confirmed by the Michigan Department of Attorney General, ensures that state and local educational agencies will not be coerced into discarding legitimate programs supporting equal access to education. "Our educational agencies cannot be expected to comply with illegal and appalling attacks on equal access to learning for our students," Nessel said.
Under pressure from the Trump administration, state and local agencies received a mandate on April 3, 2025, stipulating that they must endorse a new interpretation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, or face the risk of losing federal education funds. The mandatory certification was viewed as overreaching by Nessel and her counterparts, as it appeared to be unfounded, vague, and contradictory, leaving Michigan schools in limbo with no practical method of compliance. On April 25, following this directive, Attorney General Nessel, alongside a group of attorneys general, initiated legal action against this maneuver, which, they argued, was in breach of multiple constitutional and legal principles.
The subsequent legal challenge led to an impactful victory in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland with the case American Federation of Teachers v. United States Department of Education. Its outcome, now finalized due to the recently filed agreement dismissing the administration's appeal, secures the rights of Michigan schools. According to the settlement, the Trump administration cannot withhold funding based on the previously contested conditions.
