The Trump administration cut Sonoma State’s $3.2 million EDUCA grant one year into its five-year plan. The EDUCA grant, funded by the Hawkins Program, was created to increase and secure careers for teachers from diverse backgrounds.
“Part of the initiative was to produce more quality teachers for our community, but also to diversify the teaching workforce,” states Laura Alamillo, SSU Dean of the College of Education.
Sonoma State was one of 26 universities to receive a Hawkins grant. The university’s objective was to expand available scholarships for students pursuing a teaching credential, along with funding mentoring programs, and cultural & language competency training for current and prospective teachers.
Titled “Diverse Educators United for Growth and Learning in Northern California”, the grant was specifically geared to help support educators from diverse backgrounds. “We broadly defined diversity to mean beyond cultural, linguistic, and ethnic characteristics, to include things like neurodiversity, 1st gen status, and rurality,” states Rhianna Casesa, SSU Professor and Residency Coordinator.
The grant provided scholarships that help students with tuition, housing, and food. Losing this funding means that many students lose an opportunity to pursue a teaching career.
On Sept. 16, the U.S. Department of Education sent a notice of non-continuation stating, “The Department has undertaken a review of grants and determined that the grant specified above provides funding for programs that reflect the prior Administration’s priorities and policy preferences and conflict with those of the current Administration” going on to state, it’s an, “inappropriate use of federal funds. The grant is therefore inconsistent with, and no longer effectuates, the best interest of the Federal Government, and will not be continued.”
In citing parts of the grant that ‘conflicted with the Department’, they highlighted the grant’s focus on the recruitment and retention of well-prepared teachers from diverse backgrounds. Along with coursework based on analyzing through an intersectional and critical race lens.
“I felt outraged, particularly because there is so much data supporting teacher residencies as well as diversifying the workforce”, states Casesa.
Alamillo and Casesa spent about a week drafting a reconsideration request. Went through the entire grant itself and pulled out information that they thought would be offensive to the federal government while still maintaining the purpose, getting qualified teachers into schools through resident programs. Within 24 hours of submitting the request, it was denied.
Although the cancellation has been in effect since Sept. 30, Sonoma State will aid students who have lost their scholarships through the end of the spring semester.
Losing this funding was magnified by the HSI grant that the Government also revoked the week prior. “In the span of 2 weeks, we got almost $6 million taken from the college,” states Alamillo. The loss of funding not only affects students but also our community.
Sonoma State has an established pipeline designed to support the success of educators in our community. Students come here to receive their teaching credentials, utilizing the resources Sonoma State offers to connect with local schools and then inspire other students to pursue a career in teaching. Sonoma State’s resources and financial aid make this pipeline possible for many students.
“The way a society ultimately changes is by educating its children, then those children become voting adults, policymakers, and great thinkers. That’s why teachers and programs like this are essential,” states Casesa.
According to Edsource, “In 2024, 40% of Californians were Latino and 34% were white, while teachers were 26% Latino and 55% white”. We are seeing an underrepresentation of diverse teachers. Grants like this provide more students with diverse backgrounds an opportunity to pursue teaching.
“The next steps really are advocacy. I don’t think we can rely on the federal government for anything related to the diversification of the teacher workforce. And so I am hoping that California legislatures will understand how critical a program like this is and how, if we want to support kids and families in our local communities, they need good teachers,” states Casesa.
