Federal Court Orders Terminated Teacher Preparation Grants Reinstated for AACTE, NCTR, MACTE Members 

(Washington, D.C., March 17, 2025) — The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland ruled in favor of AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education), the National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR) and the Maryland Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (MACTE) to reinstate grants created to support teacher preparation pathways across the nation that had been previously canceled by the Trump Administration.

The lawsuit challenged the termination of educator preparation grants that were unlawfully terminated by the U.S. Department of Education (Department) last month. These grants, funded under three Congressionally appropriated programs—Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) Program, Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) Program, and Teacher and School Leader Incentive (TSL) Program—were used to support programs that prepare and develop educators.

The court ordered the U.S. Department of Education to reinstate the SEED, TQP, and TSL grants of AACTE, NCTR, and MACTE members that were terminated within five business days and return them to their status from before they were terminated so that grantees can draw down funds without any restrictions. In addition, the court ruled that the Department of Education cannot terminate any TQP, SEED, and TSL awards, for any grantees, in the same unlawful manner.

“We are thrilled that the court has ruled in favor of preserving funding for TQP, SEED, and TSL grants, which have a transformative impact on our nation’s education system,” said AACTE President and CEO Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Ph.D. “I commend the unwavering dedication that led to this decision and remain hopeful that institutions, nonprofits, and partners across America can continue to strengthen our educator workforce, and address critical shortages while ensuring that every child in our nation has access to exceptional educators and a high-quality educational experience.”

NCTR CEO Kathlene Campbell, Ph.D., said, “At a time when we as a nation are enduring local teacher shortages, especially in critical areas of need, we must not fall short in supporting the preparation of teachers. That’s why this ruling is paramount in supporting current and future teachers of the education field. We need to empower teachers with the skills and resources they need to succeed and stay in the classroom to teach and inspire the next generation of leaders.”

“I am proud that the Maryland Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (MACTE) was a part of this important win for educator preparation programs and our stakeholders,” said MACTE President Laurie Mullen, Ph.D. “It is a reminder that advocacy matters.”

Through our work, AACTE, NCTR and MACTE are committed to enhancing and expanding teacher preparation initiatives that ultimately benefit students from all over the United States and their communities.

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About NCTR

The National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing, launching, supporting, and accelerating the impact of teacher residency programs. Headquartered in Chicago, NCTR’s mission is to transform educator preparation by advancing the teacher residency movement to prepare, support, and retain more effective educators who represent and value the communities they serve. For more information about NCTR, visit www.nctresidencies.org.

About AACTE

Established in 1948, AACTE is the leading voice in educator preparation. AACTE’s member institutions and programs prepare the greatest number of professional educators in the United States and its territories, including teachers, counselors, administrators, and college faculty. These professional educators are prepared for careers in PK-12 classrooms, colleges and universities, state and governmental agencies, policy institutes, and non-profit organizations. Learn more at aacte.org.

About MACTE

The Maryland Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (MACTE) is Maryland’s state affiliate of AACTE and serves as a distinct statewide voice on matters of importance to educator preparation programs at Maryland’s colleges and universities. AACTE and MACTE collaborate to strengthen their advocacy efforts, share experience and expertise, and expand their members’ professional development opportunities.