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9th Circuit Denies Trump Administration Request To Block School Mental-Health Grants

06:29 PM, 12/05/2025
9th Circuit Denies Trump Administration Request To Block School Mental-Health Grants

9th U.S. Circuit Denies Emergency Stay: A federal appeals panel refused to pause a lower-court order requiring release of millions in school mental-health grants funded after the 2022 Uvalde shooting. Judge Evanson Found Cancellation Unlawful: In October, Judge Kymberly K. Evanson ruled the Education Department’s cancellation of the grants was arbitrary and capricious. Impact: The denial restores funds for certain grantees in 16 Democratic-led states—including about $3.8M for Madera County and $8M for Marin County—while litigation continues.

Appeals Court Refuses Emergency Stay; Millions In Grants Will Be Released

A federal appeals panel on Thursday denied an emergency request from the Trump administration to pause a lower-court order that requires the release of millions of dollars in grants aimed at addressing a shortage of mental health professionals in schools.

The grant program was funded by Congress after the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and was intended to help districts hire additional counselors, psychologists and social workers—particularly in rural and underserved communities.

In October, U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson in Seattle ruled that the Education Department’s effort to cancel these school mental health grants was "arbitrary and capricious." Following that decision, the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary Linda McMahon asked a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for an emergency stay of Evanson’s order. The 9th Circuit denied the stay.

The appeals panel wrote that the government had not shown it was likely to succeed on its claims that the district court lacked jurisdiction or that the federal government would suffer irreparable harm without a stay.

The grants were originally awarded during President Joe Biden’s administration. The Education Department prioritized applicants that proposed increasing the number of counselors from diverse backgrounds or who came from the communities served by the school district. Officials in the Trump administration argued some grant criteria related to race and sex were inappropriate and said certain grantees would not receive funding beyond December 2025.

Judge Evanson’s preliminary order applies only to specific grantees in the 16 Democratic-led states that sued the Education Department. For example, the ruling restores roughly $3.8 million for Madera County, California, and about $8 million for Marin County, California.

What Comes Next

The 9th Circuit’s denial of an emergency stay allows affected grantees to move forward while the underlying litigation continues. The case will proceed in the district court, and further appeals could follow. For now, at least some school districts will regain access to funds intended to expand mental health support for students.

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