Two Upper Valley school districts will receive a share of federal funding released under pressure from Sen. Bernie Sanders.
The $11.58 million in COVID funding for 20 Vermont districts has been held up for a year by the federal Department of Education. Hartford School District is due to receive $32,410 and Orange East Supervisory Union, which oversees public schools in Bradford, Corinth, Groton, Newbury, Ryegate, Thetford and Topsham will receive $26,475.
The funding is part of $17 million in federal grants made to Vermont schools during the coronavirus pandemic that were canceled by the Trump administration in March 2025. Around $2.5 billion in American Rescue Plan Act grants were rescinded nationwide.
“As part of the Trump administration’s actions to dismantle the Department of Education, the staff who managed these federal funds were fired in March 2025, further delaying the funds from reaching Vermonters,” Sanders’ office said in a news release.
“After a year of needless delay from the Trump administration, Vermont school districts will finally receive federal funding for summer and afterschool programs, school renovations and other critical services,” Sanders said in a written statement.