Department of Education Allocates $500M for Charter School Programs

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) on Wednesday released $500 million for charter school programs, calling the move the “largest investment in the program ever.”

The department said the funds are supposed to support more options for parents to more easily tailor their child’s education according to their unique needs, location, and income level.

“A one-size fits all education system is not working for our students. Charter schools allow for innovative educational models that expand learning opportunities for students,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said. “The Trump Administration will continue to use every available tool to advocate for meaningful learning, advance school choice, and ensure every student is well-positioned to succeed.”

ED said it will release the funds under all six charter schools programs, which include: State Entity, Charter School Management Organization, Developer, State Facilities, Credit Enhancement, and Model Dissemination and Development grants. More funding was awarded to help existing State Entity grantees meet increased demand for charter schools.

The massive funding effort comes after President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order in January backing school choice and empowering parents in education.

The order states that it is the policy of the Trump administration to “support parents in choosing and directing the upbringing and education of their children,” and it directs the Department of Education to prioritize school choice programs through discretionary grants.

“Parents want and deserve the best education for their children. But too many children do not thrive in their assigned, government-run K-12 school. According to this year’s National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 70 percent of 8th graders were below proficient in reading, and 72 percent were below proficient in math,” the order reads. “Moreover, geographically based school assignments exacerbate the cost of housing in districts with preferred schools, straining the finances of millions of American families sacrificing for their children’s futures.”

“When our public education system fails such a large segment of society, it hinders our national competitiveness and devastates families and communities. For this reason, more than a dozen States have enacted universal K-12 scholarship programs, allowing families — rather than the government — to choose the best educational setting for their children,” the order continues.

“These States have highlighted the most promising avenue for education reform: educational choice for families and competition for residentially assigned, government-run public schools. The growing body of rigorous research demonstrates that well-designed education-freedom programs improve student achievement and cause nearby public schools to improve their performance,” it reads.

Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.

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