April. 9. 2025
Pennsylvania’s deputy education chief said Wednesday the state is already in compliance with civil rights laws and is signaling the state will not order schools to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as President Trump’s administration has demanded.
U.S. Department of Education officials last week directed state education commissioners to certify they have eliminated DEI programs, which the administration considers illegal. Without that certification, states would lose federal funding — specifically Title I funds designated for high-poverty districts including Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania’s Executive Deputy Secretary of Education Angela Fitterer wrote in a letter Wednesday that the state Department of Education “certifies that it has and will continue to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” which bars discrimination based on race, national origin, or shared ancestry in programs that receive federal funding. Fitterer also wrote that the department has “confirmed that it adheres to all applicable laws providing for equal access and participation to all persons.”
