The Trump administration is redirecting nearly $500 million in federal funding toward historically Black colleges and tribal colleges, a one-time investment covered primarily by cuts to other colleges serving large numbers of minority students.The Education Department announced the funding boost days after cutting $350 million from other grants, mostly from programs reserved for colleges that have large numbers of Hispanic students. Agency leaders said those grants were unconstitutional because they’re available only to colleges with certain minority enrollment thresholds.Education Secretary Linda McMahonsaid the changes will redirect money away from “from ineffective and discriminatory programs toward those which support student success.”According to the Department of Education, this amounts to a one-time federal funding boost of 48% increase for HBCUs and it more than doubles funding for tribal colleges and universities.A person familiar with the decision said money is also being directed away from programs that support gifted and talented programs, magnet schools, international education and teacher training. Most of those programs would be zeroed out in Trump’s 2026 budget request, said the person, who was not authorized to discuss the decision and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
