Purdue's GEAR UP Program Ends After DOE Cuts

Purdue’s GEAR UP Program Ends After DOE Cuts

General view of Purdue Boilermakers campus — Source: (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

STATEWIDE – The U.S. Department of Education has canceled a $34.9 million federal grant for the Purdue University-run Indiana GEAR UP college-readiness program.

The termination, effective immediately, has been squarely blamed on the program’s inclusion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

The cancellation, which shuts down a program that had been expected to run through 2031, is being called a direct result of the federal administration’s push to eliminate DEI from education funding.

The Indiana GEAR UP program (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) served over 13,000 students across 10 school districts, providing comprehensive services like after-school tutoring, mentoring, STEM camps, and college financial aid guidance—services that demonstrably boosted high school graduation and college enrollment rates among participating low-income students.

However, in a September 12 termination letter, the Education Department stated that elements of Purdue’s grant application—including DEI training for hiring managers, culturally responsive teaching, and social-emotional learning in STEM—were an “inappropriate use of federal funds.”

The Department asserted that the program’s focus on DEI conflicted with its policy of “prioritizing merit, fairness, and excellence in education.” Purdue University reportedly did not appeal the grant termination.

The Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) and the Lafayette School Corporation (LSC), both participants, expressed surprise at the sudden end to the partnership.

Lafayette School Corporation officials stated the programs were “very important” to their school community, noting that students will miss out on essential resources like after-school tutoring and STEM summer classes. The districts are now scrambling to find alternative funding and in-house resources to continue offering similar college preparation services.

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from state Democrats. State Representative Gregory Porter (D-Indianapolis), a longtime advocate for minority and low-income student support, previously criticized the state’s move to eliminate DEI, calling such actions “detrimental to the interest and well-being of at-risk students.”

Critics argue that by targeting DEI components—which are often intended to address systemic barriers to educational access—the administration is directly harming the same disadvantaged student populations the GEAR UP program was created to serve. The cancellation marks a significant setback in Indiana’s efforts to increase college access and readiness for its most vulnerable students.

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