The U.S. Department of Education has announced a historic $500 million investment in the Charter Schools Program. The funds will be awarded across six initiatives to expand educational options for families.
According to a press release from the Education Department, funds will be distributed to the following programs over five years to support the expansion of education options for parents and their children:
State Entity Grants: Nearly $294 million will go to six states over the next five years to replicate and expand high-quality charter schools.
Model Development and Dissemination Grants: Twelve new grants totaling $27.6 million will provide tools and resources for charter schools.
Charter Management Organization Grants: $263 million—the highest amount in the history of the program—will be awarded to 22 organizations to replicate and expand 147 charter schools across the country.
Developer Grants: $10.7 million will fund seven new projects to open new or expand charter schools in states that do not have a Charter Schools Program grant.
State Facilities Incentive Grants: $126 million across three new grants will help states enhance and administer facilities aid programs.
Credit Enhancement Grants: $95.4 million in five new grants will support eligible entities that demonstrate innovative methods of helping charter schools acquire, construct or renovate facilities.
An additional $51.7 million in supplemental funding will be distributed to existing State Entity grantees to support the creation or expansion of charter schools focused on civics education, career and technical education, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, among other models.
“A one-size-fits-all education system is not working for our students,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Charter schools allow for innovative education models that expand learning opportunities for students.”
The growth of charter schools
These investments come as charter school enrollment continues to grow nationwide. According to preliminary data from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, which was provided to Newsweek last week, charter school enrollment has increased by 492,210 students (14.7%) nationwide from the 2019-20 school year to the 2024-25 school year.
States like California, Texas and Florida are leading the charge as they have the highest share of charter school enrollment, based on 2022-23 data from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.
Public school enrollment in Florida has witnessed steep declines in recent years, Axios reports, largely in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to expand school choice options.
Just two weeks ago, Florida’s board of education signed off on a major expansion of charters, allowing them to “co-locate” inside traditional public schools, according to the Associated Press. Lawmakers argue it’s a reasonable solution for addressing school closures, aging facilities and post-pandemic student struggles.
“We have operators that want to come in and give the best education to those who are in schools that haven’t been getting the greatest education,” state Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fla., said on the House floor earlier this year.
The legislation also loosens restrictions outlined in Florida’s Schools of Hope program, an initiative that incentivizes charter school operators to open schools serving students from persistently low-performing public schools within a five-mile radius. Now, charters can operate within school walls.
The bill also requires public school districts to provide the same facilities-related services to charters, including custodial work, maintenance, nursing and other services.
“All common indoor and outdoor space at a facility such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, recreation areas, parking lots, storage spaces and auditoriums, without limitation, must be shared proportionately based on total full-time equivalent student enrollment,” read the program rules.
According to the Associated Press, public school advocates argued against the school board’s proposal, including one India Miller, who labeled Schools of Hope as “parasitic” to public schools.
“To me, it would be like asking Home Depot to give Lowe’s space in their store and pay all of their infrastructure costs,” Miller told the board. “It just does not make sense to me.”
