Case: United States v. Rhode Island Department of Education

1:25-cv-00466 | U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island

Filed Date: Sept. 16, 2025

Case Ongoing

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Case Summary

This case challenges the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and Providence Public School District’s (PPSD) “Educators of Color Loan Forgiveness Program.” The Program was started in 2021, and allows new teachers of color who agree to work in Providence to earn up to $25,000 in student loan forgiveness. It was part of an effort to recruit up to 127 teachers who identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, or two or more races. On September 16, 2025, the U.S. Justice Department (D…

On September 16, 2025, the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) brought suit against RIDE and PPSD in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. The DOJ alleged that the Program discriminated against white teachers on the basis of their race by opening applications to non-white applicants only, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. They seek a declaratory judgement that the Program violated Title VII; a permanent injunction prohibiting Defendants from violating Title VII by implementing the Program, or any similar program, on the basis of race; and an “award of equitable relief to non-minority new PPSD teachers who were not eligible for the Program on the basis of race.” The case was assigned to District Judge Mary Susan McElroy.

The case is ongoing.

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Summary Authors

Claire Pollard (9/16/2025)

Madena Mustafa (10/13/2025)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71357344/parties/united-states-v-rhode-island-department-of-education/

Judge(s)

McElroy, Mary Susan (Rhode Island)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Galbreath, Robert (Rhode Island)

Judge(s)

McElroy, Mary Susan (Rhode Island)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Galbreath, Robert (Rhode Island)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
1 1:25-cv-00466	Complaint	Sept. 16, 2025	Sept. 16, 2025 Complaint

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71357344/united-states-v-rhode-island-department-of-education/

Last updated April 11, 2026, 3:43 a.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date	Link Date / Link
1	COMPLAINT (No fee paid, USA, Waived by Statute, or IFP.), filed by United States. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Exhibit, # 3 Exhibit Summons - RI Dept of Ed, # 4 Exhibit Summons - Providence PSD)(Galbreath, Robert) (Entered: 09/16/2025) 1 Civil Cover Sheet View on RECAP 2 Exhibit View on RECAP 3 Exhibit Summons - RI Dept of Ed View on RECAP 4 Exhibit Summons - Providence PSD View on RECAP	Sept. 16, 2025	Sept. 16, 2025 Clearinghouse
2	CASE OPENING NOTICE ISSUED (Hill, Cherelle) (Entered: 09/16/2025)	Sept. 16, 2025	Sept. 16, 2025
3	Summons Issued as to Providence Public School District, Rhode Island Department of Education. (Attachments: # 1 Rhode Island Department of Education Summons)(Hill, Cherelle) (Entered: 09/16/2025)	Sept. 16, 2025	Sept. 16, 2025
4	Civil Cover Sheet filed by United States of America. Regarding New Case: 1 Complaint (Corrected). (Galbreath, Robert) (Entered: 09/16/2025)	Sept. 16, 2025	Sept. 16, 2025
	Corrective Docket Entry	Sept. 16, 2025	Sept. 16, 2025
	Case Assigned/Reassigned	Sept. 16, 2025	Sept. 16, 2025
	Case assigned to District Judge Mary S. McElroy and Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan. (Hill, Cherelle)	Sept. 16, 2025	Sept. 16, 2025
	CORRECTIVE DOCKET ENTRY This case has been electronically filed and processed, however, after a quality control review the following deficiencies were found: Civil Cover Sheet is not signed. The filer is directed to file a signed Civil Cover Sheet (Hill, Cherelle)	Sept. 16, 2025	Sept. 16, 2025
5	AMENDED DOCUMENT by United States of America. Amendment to 1 Complaint (Corrected Summons). (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit)(Galbreath, Robert) (Entered: 09/24/2025)	Sept. 24, 2025	Sept. 24, 2025
6	Corrected Summons Issued as to Providence Public School District. (Hill, Cherelle) (Entered: 09/26/2025)	Sept. 26, 2025	Sept. 26, 2025
7	Summons Issued as to Rhode Island Department of Education. (Potter, Carrie) (Entered: 11/25/2025)	Nov. 25, 2025	Nov. 25, 2025
8	FILED IN ERROR - DISREGARD NOTICE OF SERVICE: The Court has granted IFP status and ordered the complaint to be served. Pursuant to the Agreement on Service between the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Attorney General, this Notice constitutes service as directed by the Court. Within 30 days, the RI Attorney General shall file a Notice of Acceptance of Service or a Notice of Declination of Service or both if necessary on behalf of the defendant(s) named in the complaint. Please click here to access the Acceptance of Service form or Please click here to access the Declination of Service form .Notice of Acceptance or Declination of Service due by 12/26/2025. (Potter, Carrie) Modified on 11/25/2025 (Potter, Carrie). (Entered: 11/25/2025)	Nov. 25, 2025	Nov. 25, 2025
9	SUMMONS Returned Executed by United States of America. Rhode Island Department of Education served on 12/8/2025, answer due 12/29/2025. (Galbreath, Robert) (Entered: 12/15/2025)	Dec. 15, 2025	Dec. 15, 2025
10	SUMMONS Returned Executed by United States of America. Providence Public School District served on 12/8/2025, answer due 12/29/2025. (Galbreath, Robert) (Entered: 12/15/2025)	Dec. 15, 2025	Dec. 15, 2025
11	Joint MOTION for an Extension of Time to File Answer filed by Rhode Island Department of Education. Responses due by 1/2/2026. (Buckler, Natalya) (Entered: 12/19/2025)	Dec. 19, 2025	Dec. 19, 2025
12	NOTICE of Appearance by Natalya A. Buckler on behalf of Rhode Island Department of Education (Buckler, Natalya) (Entered: 12/19/2025)	Dec. 19, 2025	Dec. 19, 2025
13	NOTICE of Appearance by James J. Arguin on behalf of Rhode Island Department of Education (Arguin, James) (Entered: 12/19/2025)	Dec. 19, 2025	Dec. 19, 2025
	TEXT ORDER granting 11 Motion for Extension of Time to Answer. Set/Reset Deadlines: Providence Public School District and Rhode Island Department of Education answer due 1/16/2026. So Ordered by District Judge Mary S. McElroy on 1/5/2026. (Potter, Carrie)	Jan. 5, 2026	Jan. 5, 2026
	Order on Motion for Extension of Time to Answer	Jan. 5, 2026	Jan. 5, 2026
14	ANSWER to Complaint by Rhode Island Department of Education.(Buckler, Natalya) (Entered: 01/16/2026)	Jan. 16, 2026	Jan. 16, 2026 RECAP
15	NOTICE of Appearance by Deidre E. Carreno on behalf of Providence Public School District (Carreno, Deidre) (Entered: 01/16/2026)	Jan. 16, 2026	Jan. 16, 2026 RECAP
16	ANSWER to Complaint by Providence Public School District.(Carreno, Deidre) (Entered: 01/16/2026)	Jan. 16, 2026	Jan. 16, 2026 RECAP
	TEXT ORDER : The parties are directed to file a Rule 16 Statement and a joint proposed scheduling order for review on or before February 6, 2026. If the parties cannot agree to a schedule, they should contact the judge's case manager to request a conference. So Ordered by District Judge Mary S. McElroy on 1/22/2026. (Potter, Carrie)	Jan. 22, 2026	Jan. 22, 2026
	Order	Jan. 22, 2026	Jan. 22, 2026
17	NOTICE of Appearance by Allen Huang on behalf of United States of America (Huang, Allen) (Entered: 01/27/2026)	Jan. 27, 2026	Jan. 27, 2026
18	NOTICE by United States of America of Parties' Joint Proposed Scheduling Order (Huang, Allen) (Entered: 02/06/2026)	Feb. 6, 2026	Feb. 6, 2026
19	RULE 16 STATEMENT by United States of America. (Huang, Allen) (Entered: 02/06/2026)	Feb. 6, 2026	Feb. 6, 2026 RECAP
20	PRETRIAL SCHEDULING ORDER: Amended Pleadings due by 3/9/2026; Joinder of Parties due by 3/9/2026; Factual Discovery to close by 9/8/2026; Plaintiff Expert Disclosures shall be made by 10/6/2026; Defendant Expert Disclosures shall be made by 11/6/2026; Expert Discovery to close by 12/7/2026; Motions due by 1/6/2027;. So Ordered by District Judge Mary S. McElroy on 2/11/2026. (Potter, Carrie) (Entered: 02/11/2026)	Feb. 11, 2026	Feb. 11, 2026 RECAP
21	Joint STIPULATION and Proposed Order re Rule 26(f) Preservation and Production filed by United States of America. (Galbreath, Robert) (Entered: 02/13/2026)	Feb. 13, 2026	Feb. 13, 2026 RECAP

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Case Details

State / Territory:

Rhode Island

Case Type(s):

Equal Employment

Public Benefits/Government Services

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Litigation and Investigations By the Government

Anti-discrimination case

Key Dates

Filing Date: Sept. 16, 2025

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

The U.S. Department of Justice

Plaintiff Type(s):

U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

School District

Providence Public School District

State

Rhode Island Department of Education

Defendant Type(s):

Jurisdiction-wide

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e

Other Dockets:

District of Rhode Island 1:25-cv-00466

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Relief Sought:

Declaratory judgment

Injunction

Relief Granted:

None yet

Source of Relief:

None yet

Issues

Discrimination Basis:

Race discrimination

Recommended Citation

Case Summary of United States v. Rhode Island Department of Education, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/46957/ (last updated 10/13/2025).