DOGE says dozens of ‘DEI training grants’ eliminated by Department of Education

WASHINGTON (CITC) — The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced Monday dozens of grants related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) were scrapped by the U.S. Department of Education.

The 29 “DEI training grants” totaled $101 million altogether, DOGE wrote in an X post. One grant was designed to train teachers how to “help students understand / interrogate the complex histories involved in oppression, and help students recognize areas of privilege and power on an individual and collective basis,” according to the presidential advisory committee.

DOGE added in a separate post the Department of Education terminated an additional 89 contracts Monday, worth a combined $881 million. One involved contractor received $1.5 million to “observe mailing and clerical operations” at a “mail center,” according to the post.

Crisis in the Classroom (CITC) reached out to the Department of Education for comment on the terminated contracts, but did not immediately receive a response.

The department since President Donald Trump was inaugurated has made several moves to scale back DEI efforts. Last month, the agency said in a press release it had dropped references to “harmful” DEI initiatives from public-facing communication channels, as well as placed staff members “charged with leading” such initiatives on leave.

The moves followed an executive order by Trump seeking to eliminate DEI programs from federal agencies. The president in the order called such efforts “illegal and immoral.”

“These review efforts will continue as the Department works to end discrimination based on race and the use of harmful race stereotypes, both within the agency and throughout America’s education system,” the Department of Education wrote in its press release.

Trump last week said the Department of Education will be investigated by DOGE. He told reporters Friday he had directed Musk to take a look at both the education agency and the Pentagon.

“We’re talking about trillions of dollars … being absolutely wasted,” the president said in reference to DOGE’s investigations. “And perhaps illegally.”

Trump while campaigning vowed to abolish the Department of Education, arguing education “work and needs” should be sent to individual states. Democratic members of Congress last week sent a letter to Acting Education Secretary Denise Carter raising concerns about the possible plan.

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