As federal programs slow down and national leadership turns away from clean transportation, states and utilities are taking the keys and driving electric school bus progress.
In the first nine months of the year states have awarded over $80.4 million in grants and rebates, while also allocating or making available more than $346.1 million for new applications.
With new incentives created by utility companies, this amounts to nearly $500 million invested in electric school buses at the state level in 2025. Of course, this work wouldn’t be possible without the grassroots organizing, policy advocacy and technical support electric school bus advocates provide. Read on to see a timeline of progress and groups who helped make it happen.
January
- New Mexico allocated $20 million for an electric school bus pilot program in partnership with GreenPower, an electric school bus manufacturer. The first phase will support $5 million and later phases will include an additional $15 million.
- For years, local advocates, including AESB members Moms Clean Air Force and Sierra Club, have pushed the state to fund electric school buses.
February
- Maryland closed applications for a $3 million grants program for electric school buses and related charging infrastructure.
- AESB member Chispa Maryland has pushed the state to invest in electric school buses for years.
- Minnesota opened $6 million in grant funding for electric school buses.
- AESB member MN350 helped secure the funding that created the state’s electric school bus program.
- ComEd, Illinois’ largest utility, announced $100 million in rebates for EVs, including for school districts.
- AESB member the Environmental Law & Policy Center has been leading efforts for years to create utility programs for electric school buses throughout the Midwest.
April
- New Mexico allocated $60 million for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, including switching from diesel to electric school buses.
June
- New York allocated an additional $100 million for electric school buses as part of the state’s FY26 budget, in addition to the $500 million already allocated through the Environmental Bond Act.
- AESB members the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV), Mothers Out Front and WE ACT for Environmental Justice continue to build community support for a clean ride for kids throughout New York. NYLCV has championed state investments in electric school buses for years.
- Connecticut signed into law legislation that creates a school bus emissions reduction program, funded through alternative compliance payments for renewable portfolio standards.
- Massachusetts awarded $9.5 million for electric school buses at eight school districts as part of the state’s School Bus Deployment Program.
- AESB member the Sierra Club has been leading the call for state leadership in supporting electric school buses.
July
- Maryland awarded $12 million for 53 electric school buses at seven school districts, through the state’s Electric School Bus Program, using $17 million allocated by the Governor.
- AESB member Chispa Maryland has pushed the state to invest in electric school buses for years.
- Illinois awarded $13 million for 46 electric school buses at six school districts, using Volkswagen settlement funds.
- AESB member the Environmental Law and Policy Center has long called for the state to invest its remaining VW funds into a clean ride for kids.
- New York announced $200 million will be made available for the New York School Bus Incentive Program, part of its $500 million investment from the Environmental Bond Act.
- AESB members the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV), Mothers Out Front and WE ACT for Environmental Justice continue to build community support for a clean ride for kids throughout New York. NYLCV has championed state investments in electric school buses.
- New York awarded $867,000 for The Mobility House, to show how utility distribution capacity can be maximized with interconnections to support electric school bus charging
- Georgia Power announced a V2X pilot program that will fund 10 public charging stations for school districts with electric school buses.
- AESB members the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) and Moms Clean Air Force have been building community support for electric school buses.
- Connecticut partnered with its state green bank to fund and finance over $10 million to Hartford Public Schools via Autumn Transportation, the school districts’ contractor, for 25 electric school buses.
- AESB member Clean Energy Works, in partnership with the World Resources Institute, leads a coalition of green banks learning about and setting up programs to support electric school buses.
August
- Minnesota opened $1.9 million in grant funding for electric school bus charging infrastructure.
- AESB member MN350 helped secure the funding that created the state’s electric school bus program.
- New Jersey opened $15 million in grant funding for electric school buses and related vehicle-to-building projects at select schools throughout the state.
- AESB member the Sierra Club and partners helped secure the original investment that created the state’s electric school bus grant program and continues to track the program’s implementation.
October
- Montana opened $3 million in grant funding for clean school buses, including electric ones, as part of its Volkswagen settlement program.
- AESB member Moms Clean Air Force helped build early support for electric school buses in the state.
- Texas opened $16.3 million in grant funding for clean school buses, including electric ones, as part of the state’s Clean School Bus Program.
- AESB member the Texas Electric School Bus Project is supporting school districts pursuing electrification.
- Maryland opened $4.9 million in grant funding for electric school buses and their charging stations, finishing the remainder of $17 million made available by the Governor for this year.
- AESB member Chispa Maryland has pushed the state to invest in electric school buses for years.
- Michigan awarded $35.9 million in grants for 87 electric and 10 propane school buses, part of their $125 million Clean Bus Energy Program. Michigan also opened $44 million for its final round of program funding, with applications due in December.
- AESB member Its Electric!, a Michigan-based coalition of health and clean transportation partners including Moms Clean Air Force and the Environmental Law and Policy Center, helped secure the funding that created the state’s clean school bus program.
Progress won’t end here — states will continue driving the momentum that helps more kids breathe cleaner air throughout the country.
If you’d like to get involved, contact us and join the #CleanRide4Kids movement today.