President Donald Trump is investing millions of dollars in charter schools, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has announced.
The news is a major boost for the growing school choice movement.
McMahon announced $60 million in new funding for charter schools as part of a larger budget shift.
The new investments also include $137 million to promote civics education and history, and a one-time $500 million investment in tribal colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Trump has long prioritized school choice, emphasizing the need for parents to have an alternative to low-performing public schools.
More than 1 million students have left public schools since the Covid pandemic.
The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress found student achievement is at historic lows, continuing a dismal trend that accelerated during the pandemic.
“Following the release of the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress scores, which showed dismal educational outcomes across the nation, the Department plans to award grants totaling $500 million for charter schools to support education choice in fiscal year 2025,” the Department of Education said.
“This marks the largest investment ever in the Charter Schools Program and fulfills a commitment the Department made earlier this year.”
Trump is also dedicating $137 million to promote education in American civics and history ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary next year.
The president has long lamented the impact of leftist indoctrination in classrooms where kids learn to hate their country.
The administration is increasing funding for Historically Black Colleges by 48% and doubling support for tribal colleges.
The federal funding is being repurposed from “ineffective and discriminatory programs” that divide citizens based on race, McMahon said.
Trump is diverting $140 million from teacher training programs that promote divisive ideology, $15 million from magnet schools, $9 million from gifted and talented programs, and $31 million from PBS’ Ready to Learn, the New York Times reported.
The largest funding cut targets $350 million for “minority-serving” institutions that have long received federal funding based on racial quotas.
About 70% of these schools are geared towards raising Hispanic enrollment by requiring at least a quarter of undergraduate students to be Hispanic.
Trump has long supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities, which do not use quotas, going back to his first White House term.
In a statement, McMahon said:
“Today, the Department is making three massive investments – redirecting financial support away from ineffective and discriminatory programs toward those which support student success.
“We are proud to make the largest investment in the Charter Schools Grants Program in the Department’s history, support American history programs that will inspire young people to be active and informed citizens, and recognize Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities’ historic contributions to improving education and opportunity in our country.
“The Department has carefully scrutinized our federal grants, ensuring that taxpayers are not funding racially discriminatory programs but those programs which promote merit and excellence in education.
“The Trump Administration will use every available tool to meaningfully advance educational outcomes and ensure every American has the opportunity to succeed in life.”
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