The Department of Education under President Joe Biden has directed more than $1 billion toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives since 2021, according to a report by watchdog group Parents Defending Education (PDE). These grants, aimed at public school districts, universities, and nonprofits, have drawn criticism for prioritizing ideological programs over student learning outcomes.
PDE’s report revealed that 162 DEI-focused grants have been awarded, totaling $1,002,522,304.81. The grants funded three main areas: DEI-driven hiring, educational programming, and mental health training. The breakdown of expenditures is as follows:
- DEI Hiring: $489,883,797.81
- DEI Programming: $343,337,286
- DEI-Based Mental Health/Social Emotional Learning (SEL): $169,301,221
Some grants covered multiple categories, but PDE categorized each grant under its primary focus.
One notable example cited by PDE is a $3,973,175 grant awarded to the School District of Philadelphia for a restorative justice program modeled after one in Oakland, California. PDE noted that a program advisor for this initiative is a former member of the Communist Party USA.
These DEI expenditures are being questioned as student achievement suffers. A recent report by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found that nearly one-third of K-12 students were behind grade level by the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
Critics argue that these DEI programs prioritize ideology over essential learning. PDE researcher Rhyen Staley stated, “The only people or groups to benefit from the enormous amount of grant funding are the universities, administrators, and DEI consultants, at the expense of children’s education. This needs to change by placing children’s learning at the forefront of education, instead of prioritizing race-based policies and DEI.”
Parents Defending Education describes itself as a “national grassroots organization working to reclaim our schools from activists imposing harmful agendas.” PDE first shared its findings with Fox News.
This revelation comes as President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Linda McMahon to serve as the next Secretary of Education, replacing Miguel Cardona. The potential shift in leadership signals a move away from DEI-focused policies toward more traditional educational priorities.
The massive investment in DEI by the Biden administration has ignited concerns among conservative and Christian communities about the direction of public education. With students continuing to fall behind, many are calling for a renewed focus on academic excellence over ideological programming.
