DOE cuts $106 million in grant funding for K-12 education in Massachusetts

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — The Healey Administration said Tuesday the Trump Administration terminated $106 million in K-12 education grant funding in Massachusetts.

Overall, Governor Healey said the U.S. Department of Education terminated about $2 billion in funding across 41 states.

20 public school districts in Massachusetts were impacted by the cuts, including New Bedford Public Schools, which will lose about $15.6 million in federal funding.

That’s the second largest impact in Massachusetts. Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School is also set to lose $115,465 in grant funding. 

New Bedford Public Schools said the district had intended in using the previously-approved funds for multiple projects, including making schools more accessible and creating stronger nutritional programs. In response, the district said it is in contact with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to “address this unexpected challenge” and make sure the projects are completed.

In a statement, New Bedford Public Schools said in part:

“Despite a recent announcement by the Trump administration to claw back $12 to $14 million in ESSER funds that had already been approved for these projects, the district remains fully committed to completing them. We are working in close partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to address this unexpected challenge and ensure that progress continues as planned.

The successful completion of these projects will lead to more accessible and welcoming schools, improved ventilation in classrooms, stronger school nutrition programs, and upgraded spaces and technology to better support our educators. These enhancements are vital to supporting a 21stcentury education and creating the best possible learning environments for all students. We want to reassure our families and staff that this federal action has no impact on local budgets, staffing, or day-to-day operations. We remain confident that this erroneous claw-back will ultimately be reversed, and we thank our community for their continued support as we advocate on behalf of our students.”