The Healey administration says it “mistakenly informed” schools that it would not be distributing funding for a student financial literacy program because of their towns’ resistance to the controversial MBTA zoning law.

“Wachusett Regional High School and South Shore Vocational Technical were mistakenly informed that they were not eligible for Credit for Life grant awards,” a spokesperson for the state Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation has told the Herald.

“This error has been corrected,” the spokesperson added, “and the schools are now eligible. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

This comes after the schools received notices from the state about the funding loss last week, which appeared to continue the Healey administration’s practice of withholding grants to communities resisting compliance with the MBTA Communities Act.

State Sen. Peter Durant, whose central Massachusetts district includes Wachusett Regional, sounded the alarm before Thanksgiving about the notice. The Republican urged the Healey administration to restore the $3,200 grant.

Wachusett Regional High School serves more than 1,750 students in Worcester County from Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland and Sterling. Durant argued that the five-community district was being unfairly punished because of Holden’s “policy dispute with the administration.”

Holden has resisted the law, with residents in the town of nearly 20,000 shooting down a multi-family zoning bylaw at a town meeting last spring. Durant indicated that the community is set to vote on a new proposal in February

Durant is expressing relief that Wachusett Regional will ultimately receive the grant funding for the student financial literacy program.

“I am so glad to know that cooler heads have prevailed and the students of the district won’t be denied the opportunity to learn financial life skills,” Durant said in a statement on social media on Thursday.

“It is so important to speak out when we see situations we feel are unjust,” he added, “as this was, especially when young people are impacted.”

When asked for a copy of any communication the state sent to Wachusett Regional and South Shore Vocational Tech in Hanover regarding the funding restoration, the spokesperson said the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation called the schools.

Under the act, which then-Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law in 2021, 177 municipalities across Greater Boston must have at least one zoning district where multifamily housing is permitted as of right.

As of Nov. 20, 118 cities and towns are in compliance, while 11 communities were deemed “non-compliant” as they missed previous deadlines to submit district compliance applications.

Gov. Maura Healey told state lawmakers last March that she could not “commit” that her administration would “refrain from withholding funding” from cities and towns not in compliance with the law.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve is using the MBTA Communities Act as a sticking point in his campaign, vowing to “repeal” the law on his “first day as governor.”

“This was no mistake,” Shortsleeve said in a statement about the grant funding being restored. “The MBTA Communities Act is specifically designed to punish communities, and that’s what Maura Healey intended to do.”

“In this case, she just couldn’t endure the public criticism,” the venture capitalist and former MBTA chief administrator added. “The effective efforts of Sen. Durant to call attention to this travesty and rally opposition should serve as a model for all communities who are being abused by this terrible law.”

Mass. Gov. Candidate Brian Shortsleeve, left, is endorsed by state senator Peter Durant. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)