A pivotal judicial decision has mandated the Trump administration to release a substantial sum of previously withheld grants, intended to combat the critical shortage of mental health professionals in schools. This development follows a ruling by a federal judge on Monday, ensuring that funds aimed at addressing this pressing issue are finally distributed.

These grants were initially sanctioned by Congress in response to the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in 2022. The funding was earmarked for hiring additional counselors, psychologists, and social workers, particularly in rural and underserved regions. However, the Trump administration’s opposition to diversity considerations in grant awards led to a halt in funding beyond December 2025.

Judge Kymberly K. Evanson, presiding in the U.S. District Court in Seattle, delivered a preliminary ruling that specifically benefits certain grantees within 16 Democratic-led states that contested the Education Department’s decision. This ruling reinstates significant funds, including approximately $3.8 million in Madera County, California, and $8 million in Marin County, California, pending further proceedings in the case.

The grants were first issued under President Joe Biden’s administration, with an emphasis on increasing the presence of counselors from diverse or directly impacted communities. This approach aimed to enhance the cultural and experiential relevance of mental health support in schools.

Upon assuming office, the Trump administration objected to these diversity-focused elements, arguing they were detrimental to students. In April, they announced the cancellation of these grants, citing a supposed conflict with priorities emphasizing “merit, fairness, and excellence in education.” They claimed the allocations were not aligned with federal interests.

Judge Evanson deemed this rationale as arbitrary and capricious, highlighting the tangible harm caused by the grant withdrawals. For instance, in Maine, these funds were crucial in enabling nine rural school districts to employ 10 new mental health professionals and retain four others. Without the funding, these critical positions faced elimination, underlining the essential nature of the grants for sustaining mental health support in schools.

“Congress created these programs to address the states’ need for school-based mental health services in their schools, and has repeatedly reaffirmed the need for those services over the years by reauthorizing and increasing appropriations to these programs,” Evanson wrote.

“There is no evidence the Department considered any relevant data pertaining to the Grants at issue,” she wrote, and the department did not tell grantees why their work didn’t meet the “best interest” criteria.

An Education Department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

___

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.