The fundraising hike is because a recently introduced bipartisan bill seeks to streamline the application process for opening charter schools.
In addition to the $60 million increase in funding, Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced new grant opportunities through CSP on Friday. This is a model development and dissemination grant program.
The programme is “to showcase and share strategies that will help innovative charter schools across the country succeed,” the Ministry of Education said.
The department also announced a notice this year inviting applications for five new competitions under the CSP.
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“We look forward to sharing the Trump administration’s historic investment in the charter school program as we celebrate the pivotal role charter schools play in providing high-quality options for students and families,” McMahon said. “As we see an increasing number of new grant opportunities to highlight educational options and best practices, we hope to pave the way for more options, better outcomes and life-changing opportunities for students and families.”
“Parents want their children the best education and deserve the best education. However, many children do not thrive in government-run K-12 schools,” he said, calling on the Secretary of Education to include “freedom of education” as a grant priority.
A November 2023 report revealed that charter school students have better test scores when measured against public school counterparts.
Investing in charter schools
On January 31, the Ministry of Education announced it had withdrawn two “burden and aligned” notices for the two charter school grant programs. The notice, released on the last day of the Biden administration, said it “imposed an undue regulatory burden and promoted discriminatory practices.”
At the time, the department also said it was “quickly tracking” the $33 million release of CSP grants that had stagnated under the previous administration.
The law allows the use of existing federal funds to allow states to streamline the application process for opening new charter schools.
The law reveals that technical assistance activities provided by the state to applicants include assistance in searching and accessing facilities.
Several entities are supporting the bill, including the National Charter School Accreditation Association and the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools.
“All students deserve the opportunity to attend schools that are equipped with the skills and quality education they need to succeed in today’s economy,” said Sen. Michael Bennett (D-Colo.), one of the lawmakers who introduced the bill.
“Charter schools provide flexibility and innovative educational opportunities for Colorado students, but too often they encounter burdensome federal deficits and regulations. The bill ensures that charter schools have access to federal grants and are able to reach more families in underserved communities,” he said.
