Case: State of California v. United States Department of Education
3:26-cv-05549 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Filed Date: June 9, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
This is a case challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) abrupt discontinuation of State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG) that support children with disabilities.
On June 9, 2026, the States of California, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in the San Francisco Division. The states sued DOE and its Secretary Linda McMahon, in her official capacity, for violations of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), Spending Clause, and the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). The states alleged that DOE unlawfully terminated State Personnel Development Grants (SPDG) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). They further alleged that DOE relied on unpublished priorities that had not been subject to the notice-and-comment procedures required by GEPA while targeting grant applications containing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) language, despite the Department previously requiring such language. The states sought declaratory relief, a vacatur of DOE’s Non-Continuation Decisions, injunctive relief ordering DOE to make new continuation award decisions consistent with the requested declaratory relief and vacatur, along with attorney’s fees. The case was assigned to District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr.
This case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Alexis Gil (7/18/2026)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73460233/parties/state-of-california-v-united-states-department-of-education/
Gilliam, Haywood Stirling (California)
Basbaum, Jesse P. (California)
Bibb, Aaron J. (California)
Duffy, Kyla (California)
Herrera, Elia (California)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73460233/state-of-california-v-united-states-department-of-education/
Last updated Sept. 2, 2026, 3:17 a.m.
Docket for: State of California v. United States Department of Education
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Public Benefits/Government Services
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: June 9, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
The States of California, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal
Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Education
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.
Constitutional Clause(s):
Spending/Appropriations Clauses
Other Dockets:
Northern District of California 3:26-cv-05549
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Public benefits (includes, e.g., in-state tuition, govt. jobs)
Disability and Disability Rights:
Case Summary of State of California v. United States Department of Education, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/48214/ (last updated 7/18/2026).