Trump’s deadline to eliminate DEI in schools passed. Did Sacramento districts comply?
Schools across the U.S. faced a March 1 deadline to end their diversity, equity and inclusion programs or risk losing federal funding. Sacramento school districts, like many across the country, have not openly rushed to comply with the mandates outlined in a Feb. 14 memo from President Donald Trump’s administration.
In the February letter, acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor gave K-12 schools and colleges two weeks to outlaw any race-based policies and programming or face investigations and the possible loss of federal funding. The Trump administration is broadly interpreting the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which struck down affirmative action in college admissions, to extend to all programming and activities that consider race — including scholarships, graduation ceremonies, and “all other aspects of student, academic and campus life.”
Late last week, the Department of Education issued an FAQ that seemed to roll back an initially sweeping and stringent stance on DEI, saying that the use of specific terminology such as “diversity,” “equity” and “inclusion” or the practice of observing culturally significant events like Black History Month do not necessarily constitute violations.
On the same day, the department launched an “End DEI” portal on its website, which asks the public to submit complaints about K-12 schools.
The threat to federal funds comes in a year when both the University of California and California State University systems are facing considerable budget cuts from the state. State funds for K-12 schools looked to be in decent shape in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s January budget proposal, changes to state revenue and larger threats to the state’s fiscal health could put this figure at risk.
The loss of federal funding could compound the financial troubles that loom over local school districts, like Sacramento City Unified School District, and colleges like Sacramento State, which are each taking measures to address budget shortfalls in the coming year.
Federal funding accounted for about 6% of California K-12 school revenue in 2024-25, amounting to $8 billion, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office. Schools in rural areas and those with a high population of low-income families and students with disabilities typically receive more money from the feds.
Are Sacramento schools complying?
Despite the risk of losing funds, few local districts are moving to make changes in response to the federal mandates. The Associated Press reported a similar trend nationally, largely because imposing these penalties would likely be a long and complicated process.
State educational leaders have also urged schools to not act in haste. Earlier last month, Superintendent Tony Thurmond encouraged educational agencies to “remain focused on accelerating the achievement of our students” upon announcing a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from freezing federal assistance for education and other sectors.
SCUSD Board President Jasjit Singh said that they are waiting for clarity before taking any action.
“The board hasn’t fully been briefed — the Department of Education started walking back some of those initial directives, so we still need to see what’s actually sticking,” he said. “I think waiting to get a better understanding of the legal landscape is probably the best bet at this point.”
At SCUSD, Trump’s DEI mandates may be in opposition to the district’s lawsuit settlement agreement with the Black Parallel School Board, which requires the district to seek to hire a more diverse workforce that more closely resembles the student population. The action plan’s implementation remains in effect through the end of the decade.
Natomas Unified, Placer Union High School and Folsom Cordova Unified School districts each reported that they have not made changes in response to Feb. 14 memo.
A spokesperson for Folsom Cordova Unified said that the district is “steadfast in our dedication to delivering high-quality education in safe and welcoming schools, empowering each student to thrive and reach their full potential.”
This story was originally published March 4, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
