UnINSPIREd: Uncertain Futures in the Wake of Grant Termination

• In Event: A Rallying Cry: Sustaining Equity-Centered Teacher Preparation in Light of TQP Grant Terminations

Abstract

The cancellation of a $4.6 million grant at a public polytechnic university by the U.S. Department of Education presents a poignant case study of how the sudden withdrawal of federal funding disrupts partnerships between high-need school districts and institutions of higher education (IHE). This session brings together the perspectives of the grant leadership team to examine that was lost.

Structured as a collective narrative and a call to action, this session examines how grant-supported initiatives are not merely financial mechanisms but instead sources of innovation, equity, and workforce development (Baker, 2017). Our grant funded program was initially funded in October of 2024 to support 1,350 educators across the teacher pipeline, including new teacher candidates, early-career teachers, and seasoned professionals. Our program was poised to address teacher shortages, offer targeted support in bilingual and special education, and improve educator retention through induction, professional development, and micro-credentialing. Its cancellation has disproportionately impacted the most vulnerable students and districts across our partnering rural counties.

Presenters will begin by grounding the session in what could have been: the scope, goals, and projected impact of the terminated grant. From there, we trace a timeline marked by instability, including shifting federal priorities, abrupt grant termination notices, a deliberately unclear appeals process, short-lived returns to work, and the cascading impact of this uncertainty on school districts already grappling with funding shortfalls. We include voices from affected districts and recount firsthand experiences highlighting the emotional and professional toll of broken federal commitments.

Yet amid grief and anger, the work continues. We discuss how the grant team and its partners are adapting to this loss, sustaining momentum through institutional partnerships, grassroots organizing, and cross-campus collaboration. What does it mean to be “Re-Inspired” in the face of defunding? What might we scale, reimagine, or create? This session is a space to share insights, solidarity, and strategies to help determine what is still possible.
Ultimately, federal funding is a vote of confidence in the public good. We cannot ask educators or partners to work for free, nor can we expect school systems to adopt unproven models and programs without support. Grant funded programs create opportunities for experimentation and program development, which are necessary for long-term impacts in local schools (Binkley, 2025). As we reflect on the histories of programs like ours, we invite others to envision a more just future in education.

Authors

• Jessica Jensen, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

• Andrea F. Somoza-Norton, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

• Stephen Crutchfield, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

• Natasha Neumann, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo