Attorney General Letitia James is joining with seven other attorneys general to sue the U.S. Department of Education for canceling grant programs to recruit more teachers.

The goal of the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Education Development grant programs is to support K-12 teacher development, improve student achievement and create a new pipeline of teachers in hard-to-staff schools in rural and urban areas, according to a news release.

These programs have helped teachers graduate and fill positions.

“The power of the purse belongs to Congress, and the Department of Education cannot unilaterally cut millions of dollars in funding for teachers and students who rely on it,” James said in a statement. “Kids in rural and underserved communities deserve access to a quality education, and programs like SEED and TQP help bring qualified teachers to classrooms that desperately need it. Slashing funding for these critical programs robs students of the opportunity to succeed and thrive.”