Education Dept. announces $500M charter grants
The U.S. Department of Education said Monday, September 15, 2025, it will award a record $500 million in fiscal 2025 Charter Schools Program grants, citing steep declines in 12th‑grade NAEP math and reading scores. Secretary Linda McMahon called it the largest CSP investment in department history and paired the move with pledges to support American history/civics programs, HBCUs, and TCCUs amid continued shifts away from traditional public schools.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (2)
"The article argues that sustained declines in U.S. student achievement require evidence‑based fixes—more time on task, tutoring, and effective curricula—with charter growth useful only if tied to quality, implicitly assessing the Education Department’s new charter‑grant push against what’s proven to raise scores."
"A conversational, skeptical take (via an interview with Jon Lovett) on the Education Department’s $500M charter grant announcement arguing that large federal charter investments are politically flashy but unlikely to fix underlying causes of falling student achievement without stronger accountability and broader equity‑focused supports."
📰 Sources (1)
- $500 million will be awarded through the Charter Schools Program in FY2025
- Education Secretary Linda McMahon called it the largest CSP investment ever
- Department cited record‑low 2024 NAEP 12th‑grade math and reading scores as context
- Additional pledges include support for American history/civics programs, HBCUs and TCCUs (no dollar amounts provided)