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DENVER, CO – Representatives Matthew Martinez and Tisha Mauro today released the following statements following the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to discontinue funding for colleges that primarily serve students of color.
Statement from Representative Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista:
“As a proud graduate and former educator at Adams State University, I’ve seen the life-changing impacts that accessible, quality education can have in rural communities. With federal support, Colorado Democrats have made strides to improve education funding across the state to ensure all Coloradans can receive the education they deserve, especially in rural areas like Southern Colorado. The Department of Education’s decision to end funding for universities like Adams State reverses decades of progress to ensure access to quality education for all, especially students of racial and ethnic backgrounds who have long been underserved.
Adams State will lose over $3 million in grants for student advising and retention for Hispanic and low-income Coloradans, which will ultimately hurt rural students, communities and economies. I strongly urge the Department of Education to reconsider this decision to restore funding to Adams State University and other higher education institutions.”
Statement from Representative Tisha Mauro, D-Pueblo:
“CSU Pueblo and Pueblo Community College are pillars in our community, and the Department of Education’s decision to withhold millions of dollars in grants from them will have widespread impacts across Pueblo. These grants would have gone towards student retention and staff support to build up resources for students, faculty and our community.
Our higher education institutions are crucial in supporting Pueblo’s economy, creating good-paying jobs and strengthening our workforce. I strongly urge the Department of Education to take action and ensure our colleges receive the funding they were promised.”
In September 2025, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it is ending $350 million in funding for federally-designated colleges that enroll a large percentage of students of color, like Hispanic and Native American students, also known as Minority-Serving Institution (MSIs). Out of the 15 public MSIs in Colorado, six receive federal grant funding.
Adams State University was awarded a nearly $3 million grant over five years in 2024 to fund the ASCENDER project, which helps improve college attendance and retention for Hispanic and lower-income Coloradans. Nearly 56-percent of full-time students at Adams State are ethnic minorities, with nearly 38-percent of those students identifying as Hispanic.
Colorado State University Pueblo currently has three active grants from the U.S. Department of Education, which will lead to a loss of $3.6 million in grant funding.
The Colorado Community College System will lose over $5 million, including Pueblo Community College, which is set to lose almost $600,000 in grants to support the college’s Onboarding initiative. This funding helps new students transition to college with resources like mentoring, a laptop lending program and professional development for faculty and staff.