Since President Donald Trump returned to office in January, his administration has sought to make major changes across K-12 and higher education and even proposed scrapping the U.S. Department of Education completely. They have targeted transgender athletes in female sports, diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and pro-Palestine student protests seen as antisemitic. Overall, the administration has sought to reduce the federal role in education, while boosting funding for charter schools.

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So far, the Trump administration has opened more than 111 investigations into colleges and universities, including at least 18 investigations into California universities and two investigations into the California Department of Education.

Here’s a timeline of some of the biggest action the Trump administration has taken on education.

Monday, January 20, 2025 – Following his inauguration, Trump signs executive order only recognizing two sexes: “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” Trump also orders a sweeping dismantling of the federal government’s diversity and inclusion program: “Ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing.” The orders position anti-DEI and anti-transgender policies as two of his administration’s top priorities and signal big changes regarding the two practices could be coming for schools.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025 – Trump rescinds a 2011 policy preventing federal immigration agencies from making arrests at schools and other locations like churches and health care facilities.

Monday, January 27, 2025 – A memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announces a freeze on trillions of dollars in spending for federal grants will go into effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday, January 28, impacting everything from money for education and low-income housing subsidies to environmental research and wildfire recovery. A federal judge temporarily suspended the freeze Tuesday, Jan. 28, and the White House rescinded the memo Wednesday, Jan. 29.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025 – Trump signs executive order “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schools,” which states his administration will “enforce the law to ensure that all recipients of federal education funds prohibit discrimination and protect parental rights.” The order directs his administration to eliminate federal funding for school programs and policies related to gender ideology and diversity, equity and inclusion. He also signs an order directing his administration to create comprehensive reports of antisemtism allegations at universities and K-12 schools and an executive order expanding school choice options.

Friday, January 31, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education sends a “Dear Colleague” letter to K-12 schools and universities notifying educators and administrators that the department’s Office for Civil Rights will enforce the Trump Administration’s 2020 Title IX Rule, which enforces Title IX protections on the basis of biological sex in schools and on campuses and reverses a Biden administration change that added anti-discrimination protections for non-binary and transgender students. The department also announces the release of $33 million in grant funding for charter schools.

Monday, February 3, 2025 – The Department of Justice announces the formation of a multi-agency Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, with the Task Force’s first priority to “root out anti-Semitic harassment in schools and on college campuses.” Representatives on the Task Force include members from the DOJ, the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other agencies as it develops. The Task Force is coordinated through the Department’s Civil Rights Division. The U.S. Department of Education also announces investigations into five institutions of higher education over alleged widespread antisemitic harassment. Those schools are Columbia University, Northwestern University, Portland State University, University of Minnesota Twin Cities and UC Berkeley.

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 – Trump signs an executive order prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in high school sports: “Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports.”

Thursday, February 6, 2025 – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announces it will limit competition in women’s sports to athletes assigned female at birth only. It had previously allowed transgender athletes to play at San Jose State and other colleges. The U.S. Department of Education also announces an investigation into San Jose State University – along with the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association – for an alleged Title IX violation by allowing a transgender athlete to play on the school’s volleyball team.

Friday, February 7, 2025 – The National Institutes of Health announces a new policy that all reimbursements for indirect research costs — such as instruction, staffing and building and equipment maintenance — for grants will be reduced to 15%, effective Monday, Feb. 10. The University of California and California State University say the move will threaten millions of dollars in research funding. A federal judge temporarily blocks the proposed cuts Feb. 10 after California and 21 other states file a lawsuit against the administration. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 15 other states file a lawsuit April 4 against the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health and other parties, alleging NIH has ended $37 million in research funds to UC and nearly $7 million to CSU. Stanford University announces a university-wide hiring freeze Feb. 26 due to research funding cuts from the Trump administration and Congressional proposals to expand the current endowment tax. Stanford says the school’s $37.6 billion endowment supports roughly two-thirds of the budget for undergraduate and graduate financial aid, as well as faculty salaries, research and student programs. The University of California follows suit with its own systemwide hiring freeze March 19 in response to the administration’s threats to slash research funding.

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education urges the NCAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) to restore athletic titles and awards to female athletes who lost competitions to transgender athletes.

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights launches an investigation into the California Interscholastic Federation – as well as the Minnesota State High School League — following both agencies’ announcements that they would continue to follow state rule and allow transgender athletes to compete. The investigation is elevated to the Title IX Special Team in May.

Thursday, February 13, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education cancels an additional $350 million in contracts and grants used to support DEI and equity programs.

Friday, February 14, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education warns K-12 schools and colleges in a “Dear Colleague” letter that they have until the end of the month to dismantle diversity programs and practices or risk losing federal funding. A federal court enjoins the Department from enforcing that letter on Thursday, April 24.

Saturday, February 15, 2025 – Trump signs executive order “Keeping Education Accessible and Ending COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates in Schools.”

Monday, February 17, 2025 – The Department of Education cancels more than $600 million in grants for training teachers and education agencies in topics including “critical race theory, diversity, equity, and inclusion, social justice activism, ‘anti-racism,’ and instruction on white privilege and white supremacy.” California sues the Trump administration Thursday, March 6, over the cuts. A federal judge orders the reinstatement of $600 million in funds for the teacher training program on Monday, March 17, but the Supreme Court rules Friday, April 4, the administration’s freeze on the program funds can continue and sends the case back to the lower court for continued deliberation.

Thursday, February 27, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education launches an “End DEI” portal to encourage students, teachers and community members to submit reports of sex- and race-based discrimination in K-12 schools. A federal court enjoins the department on April 24 from using that portal to withhold federal funding from schools over DEI initiatives.

Friday, February 28, 2025 – The Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism announces that it will be visiting 10 university campuses that have experienced antisemitic incidents since October 2023. The 10 universities identified by the Task Force are: Columbia University; George Washington University; Harvard University; Johns Hopkins University; New York University; Northwestern University; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Minnesota; and the University of Southern California.

Wednesday, March 5, 2025 – The Department of Justice launches an investigation into the University of California over claims the university system allowed an “antisemitic hostile work environment” on its campuses.

Friday, March 7, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education directs staff to make resolving the backlog of complaints alleging antisemitic harassment and violence an immediate priority.

Friday, March 7, 2025 – The Trump administration announces it will rescind more than $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University, citing concerns over rising antisemitism on campus and the school’s failure to address it. The Trump administration sends Columbia University a letter March 13 with a series of demands the school must meet before the government would consider negotiating over the funding cuts. The university agrees to the administration’s demands on March 21, but the Trump administration indefinitely freezes all remaining research grants — about $250 million — for the university on April 9. Columbia University agrees to a $200 million fine on July 23 to restore the university’s federal research funding.

Friday, March 7, 2025 – Trump signs executive order “Restoring Public Service Loan Forgiveness” which includes major changes to eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness and excludes organizations that provide services to immigrants in the U.S. without permission.

Monday, March 10, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education sends letters to 60 universities under investigation for antisemetic discrimination and harassment. California schools on that list include CSU Sacramento, Stanford University, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UC Berkeley and USC.

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education announces it will cut nearly 50% of the department’s workforce as it continues to move forward with the dismantling of the Department of Education. California sues the U.S. Education Department over the layoffs on March 13 and the Supreme Court rules July 14 that Trump can proceed with the layoffs.

Thursday, March 13, 2025 – The Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism notifies the local leaders of New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston that it wants to meet soon to discuss their responses to incidents of antisemitism at schools and on college campuses in their cities over the last two years.

Friday, March 14, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education opens investigations into 45 universities following the Feb. 14 “Dear Colleague” letter instructing schools to end the use of “racial preferencing” in programs. California schools under investigation include Cal Poly Humboldt, CSU San Bernardino and UC Berkeley.

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 – The University of California announces it will no longer require diversity statements as part of its hiring process.

Thursday, March 20, 2025 – Trump signs executive order “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States and Communities” which calls for the closure of the U.S. Department of Education and the return of educational authority to states.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025 – The State Department directs diplomats to expand the screening process for student visa applicants, including through combing their social media accounts. The U.S. Department of Education also demands schools facing antisemitism investigations provide the names and nationalities of individuals accused of harassment.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education reopens a new version of the income-driven repayment plan and loan consolidation application for student borrowers.

Thursday, March 27, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education revokes waivers to California and Oregon universities that are using funding to provide services to youth in the country without authorization under the Performance Partnership Pilots for Disconnected Youth.

Thursday, March 27, 2025 – The Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sends a letter to California requesting curricula and programmatic materials for its federally funded sexual health education program — the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP). On Friday June 20, the Trump administration gave California 60 days to remove all mention of gender identity from its federally funded sexual education curriculum — the Personal Responsibility Education Program — or the state risks losing grant funding.

Thursday, March 27, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Justice says it will investigate four California universities, including UC Berkeley and Stanford, to determine their compliance with a landmark Supreme Court decision two years ago that outlawed race-based affirmative action in college admissions.

Thursday, March 27, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education’s student privacy policy office opens Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) investigations into the California Department of Education and the Maine Department of Education amid allegations that the states have violated FERPA by establishing policies to prohibit parents from accessing records relating to their child’s “gender transition.”

Thursday, March 27, 2025 – Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the U.S. State Department has revoked over 300 international students’ visas.

Thursday, March 27, 2025 – The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission subpoenas the University of California for the personal information of around 900 faculty members as part of its probe into antisemitism at the school’s campuses.

Monday, March 31, 2025 — The Trump administration announces it will review more than $250 million in federal contracts with Harvard University and $8.7 billion in grant funding for the university over allegations the school hasn’t done enough to combat antisemitism. The administration’s antisemitism task force sends Harvard a letter on April 3 demanding the school eliminate all DEI programs or risk losing federal funding, which Harvard professors challenge in a lawsuit on April 11. Harvard says April 14 the university will not comply with a new, extensive list of demands from the Trump administration and the administration freezes more than $2 billion in university grants and contracts later that day. Over the next three days, Trump administration agencies threaten to rescind the university’s tax-exempt status and revoke Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students and launch an investigation into the school’s disclosures of foreign gifts and contracts. Harvard sues the Trump administration on April 21 and the administration cuts an additional $450 million in federal grants to Harvard on May 13. The administration alerted Harvard it would halt the school’s ability to enroll international students on May 22 but a federal judge blocks the attempt on May 23. Trump signs an executive order on June 4 restricting Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. The administration also announces an investigation into Harvard’s use of international visas on July 23.

Tuesday, April 1, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services closes five regional Head Start Offices and lays off staff, including offices in Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle.

Thursday, April 3, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education sends letters to state leaders overseeing education requiring them to certify their compliance with removing all DEI policies and practices. Schools are given 10 days to submit their certifications or risk losing federal funding. The California Department of Education refuses to sign the Trump administration’s certification letter April 11 and a federal court enjoins the department from enforcing the certification letter on April 24. California joins several other states in suing the Trump administration on April 25 over its threat to cut school funding if schools do not certify the ending of DEI programs.

Friday, April 4, 2025 – The U.S Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice announce the formation of the “Title IX Special Investigations Team” to handle a “staggering volume” of Title IX complaints. Later that day, the team announces its first investigation into the California Department of Education for an alleged failure to protect women’s and girls’ sports.

Monday, April 7, 2025 – The National Immigration Project says it has sued the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over the abrupt visa termination of two international students enrolled at Southern California universities.

Friday, April 18, 2025 – The U.S. National Science Foundation revokes grants for hundreds of science projects for not aligning with agency priorities because the research focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion, environmental justice and misinformation.

Monday, April 21, 2025 – The NIH announces it will no longer award grants to schools with DEI efforts or Israeli boycotts. The agency rescinds the notification June 12. 

Monday, April 21, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education announces it will resume federal student loan collections for defaulted loans on Monday, May 5th.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 – More than 500 university and college leaders across the country sign a letter opposing the “unprecedented government overreach and political interference … endangering American education.” UC Berkeley’s chancellor, Richard Lyons, and UC President Michael Drake are on the list, as well as leaders from UC Santa Cruz, UC San Francisco, San Jose State University, De Anza College in Cupertino and Santa Clara University.

Wednesday, April 23, 2025 – Trump signs a flurry of executive orders eliminating school disciplinary practices rooted in equity, expanding the university accreditation process and directing the education department to terminate accreditors’ powers who engage in DEI initiatives, requiring universities to disclose specific details about foreign funding and promoting artificial intelligence use in schools.

Friday, April 25, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education launches an investigation into UC Berkeley and requests records after reviewing the university’s foreign funding disclosures, alleging they may be incomplete or inaccurate. The investigation follows the department’s announcement a week prior that it would investigate Harvard University for similar reasons.

Friday, April 25, 2025 – The Trump administration says it is restoring Student and Exchange Visitor Information System statuses to hundreds of international students after weeks of terminations.

Tuesday, April 29, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education announces it will stop funding roughly $1 billion in school mental health grants.

Thursday, May 1, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education announces steps that could reshape university accreditation, a process that determines which universities are allowed to access billions of dollars in federal financial aid. The announcement follows Trump’s April 23 executive order aiming to expand the list of school accreditors and allow schools to more freely change accreditors.

Friday, May 2, 2025 – Trump releases his “skinny budget” proposal for the 2026 fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1. The proposed budget cuts $12 billion from the U.S. Education Department — which had a $240 billion budget in the 2024 fiscal year — and ends or significantly defunds a number of student financial aid programs, including work-study and a federal grant for students with exceptional financial need.

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 – The U.S. Justice Department sends letters of legal notice to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, Jurupa Unified School District and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) that it is opening an investigation to determine whether Title IX is being violated by AB 1266, a state law permitting students to participate on sports teams that align with their gender identity. The U.S. Department of Education also announces reforms to student financial aid disbursement, including plans to strengthen data-sharing with the Social Security Administration and prevent disbursements to individuals on “immigration parole” status.

Tuesday, May 27, 2025 – In a social media post, Trump threatens “large scale” funding cuts to California if a Southern California high school transgender athlete — AB Hernandez — is allowed to compete in the girls’ state track and field championship. Trump also ordered local authorities to block the athlete “if necessary” from competing in the meet. The California Interscholastic Federation says it will allow one extra competitor in three high school sporting events featuring Hernandez.

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 – California sues the National Science Foundation alongside 15 other states, claiming the federal agency illegally cut funding for scientific research in moves that will “devastate” critical work at universities.

Friday, June 6, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education announces plans to implement a screening process for federal financial aid applicants and additional identity verification. The Department of State announces June 18 expanded screening and vetting for student visa applicants, requiring them to make their social media public for security checks.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education determined the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation violated Title IX by “allowing males in girls’ sports and intimate spaces.” The Trump administration gave California 10 days to resolve the violation by forbidding transgender athletes from sports for girls and women, restoring records and awards to those who lost to transgender athletes and issuing personalized letters to female athletes apologizing for allowing their “educational experience to be marred by sex discrimination.” California notifies the U.S. Department of Education July 7 that the California Department of Education and California Interscholastic Federation — the state’s governing body for high school sports — will not comply with the Trump administration’s demands to ban transgender athletes from sports for girls and women. The U.S. Justice Department sues California on July 9 over the state’s policy allowing transgender student athletes to compete on girls’ sports teams, arguing it violates federal anti-discrimination laws.

Thursday, June 26, 2025 – The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division opens an investigation into the University of California system, including its individual campuses, over alleged race- and sex-based discrimination in university employment practices.

Tuesday, July 1, 2025 – The Trump administration notifies schools it will withhold $6.8 billion in congressionally approved funds for fiscal year 2025 flagged for promoting a “left wing” agenda. California and 24 other states sue the Trump administration July 14 over the administration’s withholding of education funds. California estimates $939 million in education funding is being withheld from the state in education funds.

Thursday, July 3, 2025 – Congress passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” which eliminates a loan program for graduate students, consolidates loan repayment programs for student borrowers, increases the endowment tax and introduces a new accountability metric for schools based on students’ earnings. Trump signs the bill July 4.

Wednesday, July 9, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Education announces student loans in the Biden administration’s SAVE plan will begin accruing interest as of August 1.