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Education

California Attorney General Urges Education Department to Prioritize Equity and Inclusion in Schools

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as part of a coalition of 18 attorneys general, has submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Education urging the department to continue advancing grantmaking priorities that promote equity in access to educational resources and opportunity. The comments were sent in response to the department's publication of new Proposed Priorities for assessing grant applications, which would eliminate existing grantmaking priorities aimed at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools. Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that abandoning these priorities would exacerbate existing harm to school districts already experiencing inequities in access to resources, high-quality education, and opportunity.

Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. Department of Education's Proposed Priorities would eliminate existing grantmaking priorities aimed at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools, which the coalition argues would exacerbate existing harm to school districts.
  • The coalition, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, urges the Department to continue prioritizing equity and inclusion in schools to ensure compliance with federal laws, including Title VI, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), and the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).
  • The coalition asserts that initiatives promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and different perspectives and experiences are not the same as affirmative action, as previously misunderstood by the Department.
  • The Department's new Proposed Priorities would put schools at risk of violating various federal laws requiring diversity, equity, and inclusion for the success of all students.
  • Attorney General Bonta and the coalition urge the Department to modify its new Proposed Priorities to include previous priorities advancing equity for students and to comply with existing federal law.

Statistics:

  • 18 attorneys general, including California Attorney General Rob Bonta, submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Education urging the department to prioritize equity and inclusion in schools.
  • The Department's Proposed Priorities aim to eliminate grantmaking priorities that previously supported diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in schools.
  • The coalition highlights the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in preventing bias and discrimination, boosting student and teacher morale, and promoting individualized inclusion for students with disabilities.
  • The Education Department's Proposed Priorities would affect grant applications worth billions of dollars, with implications for thousands of schools and millions of students across the United States.

Sources:

  • [1] California State Capitol Press Release (2025) [SUBMITTED BY CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA AND 18 OTHER ATTORNEYS GENERAL]
  • [2] US Department of Education's Proposed Priorities for Assessing Grant Applications (2025) [as cited by the coalition in their comments]
  • [3] A copy of the comment letter submitted by Attorney General Bonta and the coalition is available here [available at the US Department of Education's website]

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