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Judge blocks Trump administration from attempting to dismantle Department of Education

ABC News

Peter Charalambous
May 22, 2025
The judge’s ruling blocks the government from firing half the DOE’s workforce.
A federal judge in Boston has blocked the Trump administration from attempting to dismantle the Department of Education.
U.S. District Judge Myong Joun issued a preliminary injunction Thursday that bars the Trump administration from firing half the Department of Education’s workforce.
The order from Judge Joun — a Biden appointee — also prohibits the Department of Education from transferring the management of federal student loans to the Small Business Administration.
The decision marks the first time a federal judge has determined the Trump administration’s sweeping changes to the Department of Education are unlawful.
For now, the order puts a stop to the Trump administration’s effort to fire more than 2,000 Department of Education employees, transfer federal student loan obligations, and otherwise implement the president’s March 20 executive order to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education.”

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Fraud pushes California’s community colleges to consider an application fee. Is it worth it?

Cal Matters

Adam Echelman
May 21, 2025
In summary
Faced with increasing financial aid fraud, the board of California’s community colleges is considering ways to charge students an application fee and tighten its identity verification process. Students are pushing back.
Under scrutiny from state and federal lawmakers, California’s community colleges are trying to crack down on financial aid fraud. Scammers have increasingly infiltrated the state’s 116 community colleges, posing as students in an effort to steal financial aid from the state and federal government.
At a meeting Tuesday, the board that oversees California’s community colleges voted to require all students to verify their identity, which is currently optional for most applicants. The board also considered asking the Legislature for approval to charge students a nominal application fee — which many said should be no more than $10. But after more than two hours of debate, the board rejected that proposal and instead asked staff to “explore” a fee policy.

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Stanbridge University Ranked Nationally for Return on Investment by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce

Market Watch 

May 21, 2025
IRVINE, Calif., May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stanbridge University has been ranked among the top 5% of 4,600 colleges nationwide for 10-year return on investment (ROI) in the Ranking Colleges by ROI (2025) report by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, based on a comprehensive analysis of earnings data, tuition costs, and opportunity costs.
“The recognition affirms the value of a Stanbridge education and our focus on preparing students for meaningful, in-demand careers,” said Yasith Weerasuriya, President of Stanbridge University. “We are committed to delivering a high-impact academic experience that leads to real-world success and long-term economic mobility for our graduates.”
“It comes as no surprise that Stanbridge University is ranked among the top higher education institutions providing a long-term return on investment for its students,” said Dr. Jason Altmire, CEO and President of Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU). “Having visited the school and seen firsthand the state-of-the-art facilities, innovative technologies, and curriculum, I can attest that Stanbridge students receive a world-class education. Congratulations on this well-earned honor!”

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Immigrants learn English for free at California colleges. Under Trump, some are skipping class

Cal Matters

Delilah Brumer
May 20, 2025
In summary
California’s ESL courses gained 30,000 students over the past six years. As the Trump administration revokes student visas and escalates immigration raids, that growth is at risk.
They speak Farsi, Cantonese, Spanish and at least two dozen other languages. Some earned master’s degrees in their home countries, while others never finished middle school. At California’s community colleges, more than 290,000 students take free, non-credit English as a Second Language classes.
As immigrants, many of these students enroll in the classes to integrate into American life, advance in their jobs, support their children or build community. The classes have grown in popularity in recent years — an enrollment bright spot for the state’s community college system, which has struggled to fully rebound to pre-pandemic student counts.
But as news of international student visa revocations and reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids during President Donald Trump’s second term spread across the state, many community colleges have seen some of these students switch to online learning, or stop showing up to class altogether.

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