WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is giving America’s schools and universities two weeks to eliminate diversity initiatives or risk losing federal money, raising the stakes in the president’s fight against “wokeness” and sowing confusion as schools scramble to comply.

In a memo Friday, the Education Department gave an ultimatum to stop using “racial preferences” as a factor in admissions, financial aid, hiring or other areas. Schools are being given 14 days to end any practice that treats students or workers differently because of their race.

Sweeping Changes to Educational Practices

The sweeping demand could upend education in myriad ways. The memo targets college admissions offices, ordering an end to personal essays or writing prompts that can be used to predict an applicant’s race. It forbids dorms or graduation events for students of certain races. Efforts to recruit teachers from underrepresented groups could be seen as discrimination.

It’s meant to correct what the memo described as rampant discrimination in education, often against white and Asian students.

“Schools have been operating on the pretext that selecting students for ‘diversity’ or similar euphemisms is not selecting them based on race,” said Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights. “No longer. Students should be assessed according to merit, accomplishment and character.”

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Legal Implications and Justification

The memo itself doesn’t change federal law but reflects a change in the federal government’s interpretation of antidiscrimination laws. Under its broad language, nearly any practice that brings race into the discussion could be considered racial discrimination.

As legal justification for the new memo, it cites the 2023 Supreme Court decision barring race as a factor in college admissions. Although the ruling applied only to admissions, the memo says it “applies more broadly.”

“Put simply, educational institutions may neither separate or segregate students based on race, nor distribute benefits or burdens based on race,” it said.

It’s an extension of President Donald Trump’s executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Institutional Response and Uncertainty

On Monday the Education Department announced it also cut $600 million in grants for organizations that train teachers. The programs promoted “divisive” concepts like DEI, critical race theory and social justice activism, the department said.

The memo brought a wave of panic across the nation’s colleges as officials rush to assess their risk. Many were scrambling to evaluate what programs could put them at risk.

In a campus letter at the University of Michigan, President Santa J. Ono said leaders are working to understand the implications.

His message cited two examples from the memo — the one banning admissions essays that could predict an applicant’s race, and another saying it’s unlawful for schools to eliminate standardized testing requirements “to achieve a desired racial balance or to increase racial diversity.”

Dozens of universities have ended standardized testing requirements in recent years, including Michigan.

Some colleges said they expect little change from the memo. At Oregon State University, a legal review concluded that its programs “are fully compliant with all state and federal laws,” according to a campus message from Rob Odom, vice president of university relations and marketing.

The department memo appears to take aim at scholarships reserved for students from certain racial backgrounds. There’s been legal debate about whether the Supreme Court decision extends to financial aid, with some schools and institutions deciding to scrap racial requirements for certain scholarships.

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators said there’s no consensus on the question, and the group is trying to understand how the memo could affect student aid.

“What we do know, however, is that 14 days is insufficient time for schools to assess and implement any necessary changes to be in compliance,” the group said in a statement. “The last thing students need when making plans about how to pay for college is uncertainty over when or whether they will receive financial aid they’ve been relying on.”

The confusion around Trump’s order was apparent at last week’s confirmation hearing for education secretary nominee Linda McMahon. Asked whether classes on African American history would run afoul of the president’s order, McMahon said she wasn’t quite certain.