Washington joins nationwide coalition securing continued federal education investment after dispute over civil rights interpretation threatened vulnerable student programs

Olympia, Washington – A multistate legal effort has secured the future of roughly $1.4 billion in federal education funding for Washington, preserving programs that support some of the state’s most vulnerable students.

Attorney General Nick Brown joined 18 other attorneys general in reaching an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education that protects funding tied to equal access in K-12 schools. The money helps serve students from low-income families, English learners, children with disabilities, and others who rely on federally supported educational services.

The dispute began in early April 2025, when the department told state and local education agencies they would need to sign a document reflecting a new federal interpretation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

States that refused risked losing major portions of their federal education funding. Washington confirmed it follows existing nondiscrimination laws but declined to certify compliance with the new interpretation, arguing the requirements were unclear, inconsistent, and unsupported.

Brown and the coalition filed suit later that month, claiming the threatened funding cutoff violated constitutional and administrative law principles, including limits on federal spending authority and separation of powers. A related case brought by the American Federation of Teachers in federal court in Maryland succeeded in overturning the certification demand, and that ruling became final after the federal government dismissed its appeal.

The newly reached agreement extends that relief to Washington schools and prevents federal officials from withholding funds under the disputed conditions. As a result, long-standing education programs tied to congressional appropriations will continue without interruption.

Those funds support a wide range of services, including improving educational access for disadvantaged students, recruiting and training teachers, expanding English-learning programs, and assisting children in foster care or experiencing homelessness.

Attorneys general from states across the country joined the agreement alongside Washington, forming a coalition that ultimately secured continued federal investment in public education throughout the state.