The Department of Education will support charter schools by withdrawing a federal award program initially issued by the Biden administration and directing over $30 million to the nontraditional public schools, the department said.
The Department of Education said it had withdrawn two “notices inviting application” for the State Entity Charter School Grant Program and the Charter Management Organization Grant Program over what it called “burdensome” regulations.
The Department also announced it was directing $33 million toward charter schools through the Charter School Program (CSP) competition. The department said the actions better align the agency’s work with President Donald Trump’s executive order calling for the expansion of school choice.
“The Department is committed to putting students first by expanding access to high-quality educational options and ensuring that federal resources are used effectively to promote student achievement,” said Madi Biedermann, deputy assistant secretary in the Department’s Office of Communications and Outreach.
“We will continue to identify and remove barriers in the way of educational innovation and excellence,” Biedermann said.
According to the press release from last week, the Department of Education said the notices, which are part of the federal grant award process “included excessive regulatory burdens and promoted discriminatory practices.”
“The Department’s revised NIAs will have a more streamlined application process and evaluate applicants based on alignment with President Trump’s commitment to expanding high-quality charter schools, reducing federal micromanagement, eliminating ideological overreach, and empowering families with greater educational choice,” the agency said in the release.
The two notices of withdrawal say the changes are intended to reduce the regulatory burden and oversight over the federal funds.
“This NIA will unleash innovation, minimize excessive and unnecessary oversight, and lessen the reporting burden for both applicants and grant recipients,” the withdrawal notice said. “By adopting this streamlined approach, the Department is committed to maximizing the impact of its funding efforts while creating a more efficient application process.”
The department said it would be releasing two new Notices Inviting Application for the charter school program funds “in the near future.”
• This story first published at Chalkboard News which, like The Center Square, is published by the Franklin News Foundation
