FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: media@edtrust.org

September 3, 2026

Don’t Punish Schools for Expanding Opportunity for Students Traditionally Locked Out of Quality Education
Statement from Denise Forte, president and CEO of EdTrust, on the Trump administration’s proposed Treasury regulations targeting the tax-exempt status of schools and colleges that consider race in efforts to expand educational opportunity.

WASHINGTON – “The Trump administration’s latest proposal threatens to use the power of the federal government to punish schools and colleges for doing what we should expect them to do: recognize barriers to opportunity and work to remove them.

“Addressing racial inequity is not discrimination. Students of color continue to face real and persistent barriers to accessing educational opportunities. Threatening the tax-exempt status of institutions for recognizing those barriers does nothing to make education fairer. It risks making it harder for schools and colleges to reach, support, and create opportunities for students who have too often been locked out.

“The administration is also going beyond what the Supreme Court required in its decision on college admissions. Colleges can still consider how race has shaped an individual student’s life and experiences. Schools should not have to fear federal punishment simply for acknowledging the realities their students face.

“And this does not stop with higher education. The proposal comes as billions in taxpayer support are poised to flow to private schools through the new federal voucher tax credit program. Private schools already disproportionately enroll white students, who make up 65% of private school enrollment compared with 47% of public school enrollment. Public dollars should strengthen public schools that serve all students. As taxpayer dollars flow to private schools, they should not come with fewer protections or greater barriers for students of color.

“EdTrust believes every student deserves access to a safe, enriching, high-quality education and a real opportunity to succeed. We urge the Treasury Department to withdraw this proposal. The federal government should be working to remove barriers to opportunity, not creating new ones.”