A federal grant that funded college-prep and tutoring programs for over 13,000 low-income students across 10 Indiana school districts was abruptly terminated last month after the U.S. Department of Education cited the program’s inclusion of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives as an “inappropriate use of federal funds.”
The $34.9 million Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant, administered by Purdue University, officially ended on Sept. 30 following a termination letter sent Sept. 12 and a subsequent email notification of beneficiary school districts. The grant had supported college readiness programs in districts including Indianapolis Public Schools, Lafayette School Corporation, Gary Community Schools, Kokomo School Corporation and others.
In the Department’s letter, officials said the program’s proposed DEI components—such as “culturally responsive teaching” and incorporating social and emotional education into STEM instruction—conflicted with federal civil rights law and was “inconsistent with and no longer effectuates, the best interest of the Federal Government.”
The grant, the sixth-largest ever awarded to Purdue, renewed a $24.5 million grant awarded in 2016. That initial phase contributed to an overall 5% increase in enrollment into 21st Century Scholars—an early college promise program that aims to make college more affordable for low-income students—and an 11% increase in the enrollment among students of color. The second phase was intended to be continued through 2031 before being canceled one year into its effective period.
Purdue, the only Indiana university currently receiving the competitive GEAR UP grant, did not appeal the termination and has declined to comment or release a public statement despite multiple media inquiries.
The university’s silence aligns with its recently reaffirmed “Statement of Policy on Institutional Neutrality,” adopted by Purdue’s Board of Trustees on June 7, 2024. The policy, required by Indiana Senate Enrolled Act 202, prohibits the university from taking official stances on social issues or government policy unless they directly affect Purdue’s fiscal or academic mission.
School administrators across affected districts have expressed concern about the impact on students who relied on GEAR UP resources.
“We are grateful for the opportunities that we have had for our kids and our school community,” said Kathryn Reckard, assistant superintendent at Lafayette School Corporation, in an interview with WTHR 13News. “We had various students participating in the summer camp's after-school tutoring, so as you can imagine, it has a very impactful impact on our kids and our parents and our school community.”
Indianapolis Public Schools also expressed their surprise at the sudden termination of the GEAR UP program, which funded college and career readiness, STEM instruction and financial aid education for the district.
The termination accompanies a broader shift in federal education policy under the Trump administration. Since taking office, the administration has dissolved the Department of Education’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, removed DEI-related resources from federal websites, and withdrawn over $600 million in grants that included DEI or social justice training.
In a March 2025 statement, the Department said that such programs allow educational institutions to “toxically indoctrinate students with the false premise that the United States is built upon ‘systemic and structural racism’.”
Officials cited the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which struck down race-conscious affirmative action admissions policies, and Title VI of 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in federally funded programs.
For now, districts that relied on GEAR UP’s support are left seeking alternative funding to continue supporting the thousands of disadvantaged students it served.
