The Department of Education announced it would immediately increase charter school funding by $60 million in the 2025 budget, bringing total spending on the program to $500 million.
The move is in line with the Trump administration’s goal to increase school choice opportunities for all students.
“In celebrating the pivotal role that charter schools play to deliver high-quality options for students and families, I’m excited to share that the Trump Administration is making historic investments in the Charter Schools Program,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “With more dollars going toward education choice and a new grant opportunity to help highlight best practices, we hope to pave the way for more choices, better outcomes, and life-changing opportunities for students and families.”
The Trump administration will also create a new grant opportunity known as the Model Development and Dissemination Grant Program, which will share strategies that allow charter schools to find success.
The Charter School Program is accepting applications for five additional 2025 competitions, including the State Entities, State Facilities Incentive Grants, Credit Enhancement, Charter Management Organizations, and Charter School Developers programs.
The increase in the budget for charter school funding comes after the Trump administration included a $60 million increase for charter schools in its 2026 “skinny budget” proposal.
Republican lawmakers and the Trump administration have been working together to increase access to school choice programs. Earlier this week, the Ways and Means Committee included Sen. Bill Cassidy’s (R-LA) Educational Choice for Children Act in its reconciliation bill. McMahon had joined Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) to campaign for the bill’s passage at an event in Miami.
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If passed, the legislation would create federal tax credits that can be used to fund school choice programs across all 50 states.
Supporting school choice has been a top priority for the Trump administration, which has worked to release $33 million in grant funding for Charter Management Organizations, and it published the full suite of Charter Schools Program grant competitions.
