An article from This week in 5 numbers: Trump eyes 15.3% cut for Education Department

We’re rounding up recent stories, from proposed reductions in prominent federal grant programs to further financial pressure on Harvard University.

Published May 9, 2025 Natalie Schwartz Senior Editor

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President Donald Trump stands at a podium in the White House on May 6, 2025. Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images Listen to the article 0 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback.

From President Donald Trump proposing massive cuts to the U.S. Department of Education to his administration ramping up pressure on Harvard University, here are the top-line figures from some of our biggest stories of the week. 

By the numbers   15.3% The percentage Trump has proposed cutting from the Education Department’s budget for fiscal year 2026. His budget request to Congress calls for eliminating some major grants altogether and for states to take over other programs, such as Federal Work-Study.   $2.2 billion The amount of Harvard’s federal research funding that the Trump administration froze after the Ivy League institution rejected its demands seeking sweeping changes, including an audit of student and faculty viewpoints and the end of diversity initiatives. The federal government has ramped up pressure on the university since then, including by refusing to award it any future research grants.   98% The share of colleges that would be on the hook for a portion of their former students' unpaid federal loans under a recent proposal from House Republicans, according to an analysis from the American Council on Education. Higher education experts say such a risk-sharing plan could push colleges to take on fewer students from marginalized backgrounds.   10% The percentage of their salary that a group of Harvard faculty members are willing to donate to help the Ivy League institution mount a legal battle against the Trump administration. Nearly 90 senior faculty have signed the pledge.   3 The number of college presidents who testified before the House Committee on Education and Workforce this week about how they’ve handled alleged campus incidents of antisemitism. While Republicans have said they’re trying to combat antisemitism, some Democrats accused GOP lawmakers of using those concerns to quell constitutionally protected speech during the hearing with the leaders of Haverford College, DePaul University and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. waitToLoadAds.push(function() { googletag.cmd.push(function() { if (window.dfp_visibility == 'mobile' ) { googletag.display('dfp-hybrid1-mobile'); googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function (event) { var adUnitPath = '/21662595662/highereddive/highereddivehybrid1'; var onProformative = false; if (onProformative && event.slot.getAdUnitPath() === adUnitPath && !event.isEmpty ) { var adUnitPathWithVisibility = adUnitPath + '-mobile'; var selector = '.pf-comments__ad-wrapper [data-container-ad-unit-id="' + adUnitPathWithVisibility + '"]'; if (!$(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').hasClass('borders')) { $(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').addClass('borders') } } }); } }); }); waitToLoadAds.push(function() { googletag.cmd.push(function() { if (window.dfp_visibility == 'desktop' ) { googletag.display('dfp-hybrid2-desktop'); googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function (event) { var adUnitPath = '/21662595662/highereddive/highereddivehybrid2'; var onProformative = false; if (onProformative && event.slot.getAdUnitPath() === adUnitPath && !event.isEmpty ) { var adUnitPathWithVisibility = adUnitPath + '-desktop'; var selector = '.pf-comments__ad-wrapper [data-container-ad-unit-id="' + adUnitPathWithVisibility + '"]'; if (!$(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').hasClass('borders')) { $(selector).closest('.pf-comments__ad-wrapper').addClass('borders') } } }); } }); });

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