SPRINGFIELD — The Trump administration terminated $106 million in K-12 education grant funding for Massachusetts schools, including over $47 million dedicated to Springfield alone.
The U.S. Department of Education notified all states on the evening of March 28 about its decision to end the federal Education Stabilization Fund liquidation period, meaning over $2 billion in funding that supports mental health, tutoring, school security and building upgrades, was stripped away across 41 states.
In a press release sent to Reminder Publishing, Gov. Maura Healey’s office said that states had until March 2026 to spend the funds because of supply chain issues and labor shortages, a sentiment that was reaffirmed by the Trump administration in February, but has now been backtracked by the federal government.
In Massachusetts, Springfield felt the biggest brunt of the Trump administration’s decision, losing almost $47.4 million from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund that was committed to various projects across the city.
“To say I am deeply disappointed is an understatement,” said Mayor Domenic Sarno, in a statement sent to Reminder Publishing. “The city of Springfield strategically utilized our ESSER funds into our schools — these are not frivolous projects, but one-time capital improvement projects that will greatly benefit our students and faculty.”
Sarno commended Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Sonia Dinnall and his team at the city level for improving the air quality at the city’s schools through HVAC installations and outdoor learning spaces for students.
He noted that many of those projects are either completed or almost done.
“The decision to cut off money already promised to our school district to benefit our students is wrong,” Sarno said. “Superintendent Dinnall and I will work with Gov. Maura Healey and her administration, and Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell to explore all of our options as we continue to fight for the residents and students of our Springfield.”
In her statement, Dinnall reaffirmed the fact that SPS “strategically” and “intentionally” utilized ESSER funds for one-time capital improvement projects that have already been completed or are very close to completion.
While she is “deeply disappointed” by the potential reduction in federal funding, Dinnall said Springfield will continue to work with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to secure the funds that were already agreed upon by “all parties.”
“From the start, we were keenly aware that this funding was temporary, and we made deliberate choices to avoid using it for ongoing expenses that would require sustained financial support,” Dinnall said. “As a result, this reduction will not impact the delivery of education services to our students or employment status for staff. Springfield Public Schools remains committed to delivering high-quality education and will continue to do so through careful planning and responsible stewardship of our resources.”
Elsewhere in Western Mass., the town of West Springfield is poised to lose $354,868 in leftover ESSER funds.
According to West Springfield Public Schools Chief Financial Officer Adam Tarquini, that money is for two multi-passenger vans as well as the middle school’s HVAC project, which he said is about 99% complete at this point.
Both Tarquini and West Springfield Mayor William Reichelt said during the School Committee meeting on April 1 that these projects are not in jeopardy if the town loses the $354,868.
Tarquini added that the state told the town to operate as usual until more information comes out of the federal government.
“Neither of those projects are in jeopardy,” Tarquini said. “If they happen to take that money away, we will obviously find money to fund that obligation.”
“We’re going to make it work,” Reichelt added during the meeting.
At the state level, Healey and her team decried the Trump administration’s decision to terminate this funding in a time when students are struggling to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
Healey said the state needs to be doing everything it can to address learning loss and mental health crises.
“Instead, President Trump suddenly ripped away more than $100 million in funding that is supposed to go right to Massachusetts students and schools,” Healey said. “This action is jeopardizing mental health care and math tutoring for our students, as well as projects that are already underway to enhance school security and ensure that the air in our school buildings is clean. Massachusetts has been making important progress helping students recover from the pandemic, but President Trump is trying to take us backwards.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Malden) promised that he would fight the “callous cuts” set forth by the Trump administration that he says are putting public schools in jeopardy.
He said in a statement sent to Reminder Publishing that he demanded Education Secretary Linda McMahon to not cut funding for public schools, but she refused.
“To Massachusetts communities, this funding is a lifeline that helps provide students with math tutoring and dyslexia screening, update aging school buildings, and train educators to provide students with the highest quality instruction possible,” Markey said. “With these devastating cuts, the Trump administration is hurting students, educators, families and communities in the commonwealth and nationwide.”
