Mercer Times

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has secured a temporary decision from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, blocking the Trump Administration's termination of K-12 teacher preparation pipeline grants. This decision comes as states pursue a preliminary injunction against the termination.

Attorney General Platkin, leading a coalition of eight attorneys general, expressed satisfaction with the court's decision. "I am glad the Court has stopped the Trump Administration’s unlawful attempt to deprive students in New Jersey of the best-in-the-nation education that they deserve," he stated. He emphasized that "President Trump is not a king, and he cannot unilaterally dismantle our education system."

The background to this legal action stems from a significant teacher shortage in 2024, where over 400,000 teaching positions across the U.S. were either vacant or filled by uncertified teachers. To address this issue, Congress had allocated funding through programs like Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development to train teachers and improve teacher quality.

On February 7, 2025, the Department of Education terminated these grants nationwide without prior notice. The impact is expected to be immediate in New Jersey schools that depend on these funds for staffing and training new teachers.

Montclair State University (MSU) and The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), both recipients of these grants, have been directly affected. MSU utilized its funds to prepare teachers for local districts such as Newark Board of Education and Orange Public Schools in subjects like math and science. TCNJ was training educators who were set to graduate in Spring 2025.

The case in New Jersey is being managed by Deputy Attorneys General Jessica Palmer, Amanda Morejón, Lauren Van Driesen, and Elizabeth Walsh. States joining New Jersey in this lawsuit include California, Massachusetts, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin.