The Sconi

Attorney General Josh Kaul, alongside 20 other attorneys general, has initiated legal action against the Trump administration to prevent the dismantling of the Department of Education (ED). The lawsuit follows an announcement from the administration on March 11 regarding plans to reduce the department's workforce by approximately 50% as part of a broader strategy to shut down the agency.

AG Kaul emphasized the importance of ED services for students, stating, "The Department of Education provides numerous services that support students. Cutting those services is deeply unfair to students in Wisconsin and across the country. Their futures should be prioritized over tax cuts for billionaires."

The ED supports nearly 18,200 school districts and more than 50 million K-12 students nationwide. Its programs extend assistance to over 12 million postsecondary students annually. Students with disabilities and those from low-income families are significant beneficiaries of these services, which include funding for special education, assistive technology, teacher salaries, transportation, therapy services, and social work support.

The lawsuit contends that the proposed actions will strip essential resources from students with special needs and undermine ED's Office of Civil Rights. It also warns that processing financial aid could become more challenging, potentially increasing costs for college students seeking loans and grants.

Attorney General Kaul and his coalition seek a court order to halt these policies. They argue that dismantling ED is both illegal and unconstitutional without congressional approval since it is an executive agency established by Congress with various laws governing its operations.

Joining AG Kaul in this legal challenge are attorneys general from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington state as well as Vermont and the District of Columbia.