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Court Grants Preliminary Injunction in COE Lawsuit, Finds U.S. Department of Education Failed to Follow the Law

January 16, 2026 — by Terrance L. Hamm

A federal court granted COE’s request for a preliminary injunction, finding the Department of Education unlawfully denied TRIO grants, marking a significant—but not final—victory as litigation continues.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) applauds a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granting COE’s motion for a preliminary injunction against the U.S. Department of Education challenging the Department’s denial and discontinuation of more than 100 Federal TRIO Program (TRIO) grants.

In a 39-page memorandum opinion issued by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, the Court found that the Department of Education failed to follow required statutory and regulatory procedures when it denied applications for new Student Support Services (SSS) grants and discontinued other TRIO grants mid-cycle. The Court concluded that COE is likely to succeed on the merits of multiple claims, including that the Department violated the Administrative Procedure Act and failed to comply with legally mandated processes under federal law.

As part of the ruling, the Court vacated the Department’s notices of non-selection and non-continuation for the affected COE member institutions, enjoined the Department from enforcing those decisions, and ordered the Department to reconsider the grants in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and procedures.

“Today’s ruling is an important victory for fairness, transparency, and the rule of law—and, most importantly, for the students TRIO serves” said COE President Kimberly Jones. “While this is not the end of the case, it is a powerful and encouraging first step that protects programs from harm and reinforces the integrity of the TRIO grant process.”

The Court emphasized that the Department’s actions were impermissibly vague, procedurally deficient, and inconsistent with governing statutes and regulations, including the Higher Education Act, the General Education Provisions Act, and federal civil rights laws. The Court also made clear that agencies must articulate rational explanations for their decisions and follow required procedures before denying or discontinuing federal education grants.

This ruling represents the latest development in a legal challenge COE initiated in September 2025, when the organization filed litigation on behalf of its members impacted by the U.S. Department of Education’s unprecedented refusal to award or continue more than 100 TRIO grants nationwide. As COE outlined at the time, the Department’s actions constituted one of the most sweeping disruptions to TRIO in the program’s history—redirecting tens of millions of dollars in congressionally appropriated funds and depriving tens of thousands of low-income, first-generation students, including veterans and students with disabilities, of critical college access and success services.

In October, COE’s lawsuit received significant national support when 21 states and the District of Columbia, led by Nevada and Massachusetts, filed an amicus curiae brief urging the court to halt the Department’s actions and emphasizing the harm to students, state economies, and the nation’s workforce if TRIO programs were allowed to be unlawfully dismantled. In December, Judge Tanya S. Chutkan heard COE’s motion for a preliminary injunction, during which COE presented evidence demonstrating the Department’s failure to follow required statutory and regulatory procedures. The Court’s decision granting the preliminary injunction marks a critical early victory in the case—but it is not the final resolution.

The Court’s order preserves the status quo while the case moves forward and requires the Department of Education to take steps to comply with federal law as it reconsiders the affected grants. COE looks forward to continuing to litigate this case and securing lasting relief that protects TRIO programs nationwide and ensures students receive the support Congress intended.

“This ruling is a positive and necessary first step,” stated COE Executive Vice President, Aaron Brown. “We remain committed to seeing this case through and to defending the Federal TRIO Programs that have opened the doors of opportunity for millions of low-income, first-generation students.”

For more information about the Federal TRIO Programs, visit www.coenet.org.

Media Inquiries

For media inquiries or to arrange an interview, please contact Terrance L. Hamm, vice president for communications and marketing at COE via email at [email protected] or call (202) 347-7430.

Court Grants Preliminary Injunction in COE Lawsuit, Finds U.S. Department of Education Failed to Follow the Law

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