Educational choice a clear winner so far in McMahon’s tenure

Nine months in to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s tenure, who stands to gain in terms of resources and policy priorities has become more clear with each of the 179 press releases issued by the U.S. Department of Education since the beginning of the Trump administration.

It is not a surprise to anyone reporting on education that this administration is pro-school choice.

On Jan. 29, 2025, during National School Choice Week, President Donald Trump signed a presidential action titled, “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families.”

McMahon is increasing access to choice across all discretionary grant competitions, including charters, innovative school models, K-12 open enrollment, dissemination of information on choice options, implementation of education savings accounts, home-based education, concurrent enrollment programs, career preparation, postsecondary distance education, skills-based education, apprenticeships, work-based learning, accelerated learning and tutoring, and more.

In May 2025, during National Charter Schools Week, McMahon announced that the department would increase the Charter Schools Program (CSP) funding by $60 million this year (FY 2025), raising the program’s total budget to a historic $500 million.  

On Wednesday, the department announced the release of those funds:

State Entity Grants | The department will award grants to six states, including North Carolina, totaling $293.7 million over the next five years to replicate and expand high-quality charter schools.

Model Development and Dissemination Grants | The department will award 12 new grants totaling $27.6 million over the next five years to develop and disseminate comprehensive tools and resources to charter schools, including the replication of effective practices through hands-on assistance to key leaders in the charter school sector and by developing practical toolkits, model templates, and other resources to equip charter school founders, authorizers, and other key state leaders with tools they need to operationalize innovative charter models.

Charter Management Organization Grants | The department will award $263 million over the next five years to 22 new grantees, the highest amount in the history of the grant program. The grantees propose to replicate and expand a total of 147 high-quality charter schools across the country.

Developer Grants | The department will award $10.7 million over the next five years for seven new grants, three times as much as last year. These grants provide financial assistance to charter school developers to open new or to expand high-quality charter schools in states that do not currently have a CSP State Entity grant.

State Facilities Incentive Grants | The department will award three new grants over the next five years worth $126 million, the largest amount ever awarded, to help states establish, enhance, and administer per-pupil facilities aid programs for charter schools.

Credit Enhancement Grants | The department will award five new grants awards totaling $95.4 million, the highest awarded amount in the last ten years of the grant program. This grant supports eligible entities that demonstrate innovative methods of helping charter schools address the cost of acquiring, constructing, and renovating facilities.

The department will award an additional $51.7 million in supplemental funding to existing state entity grantees to support the creation or expansion of charter schools focused on civics education; career and technical education (CTE); and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), among other innovative charter school models.

— U.S. Department of Education press release

This week, the N.C. Association for Public Charter Schools (NCAPCS) announced it was awarded $52,995,683 in CSP funding.

NC GROW Charter Schools — which stands for NC Growing Results-Oriented Wins with Charter Schools — will operate for five years from 2025-30, and it will be led by the association.

Support the expansion of public charter schools, prioritizing innovative Career and
Technical Education (CTE), STEM, or AI charter models

Deliver targeted technical assistance to help subgrantees strengthen their financial
management

Provide comprehensive charter school board governance training in North Carolina

— NCAPCS federal grant deliverables, according to the press release

“We are excited about the impact this will have on the future of education in our state as we partner with stakeholders and communities,” said Rhonda Dillingham, executive director of the association.

In the 2025-26 school year, there are 217 charter schools operating across North Carolina.

Parents who choose private school — the department notes they “are still Federal taxpayers” — may benefit from additional guidance McMahon recently provided on the services public school districts provide, or contract with third-parties to provide, for eligible children. The guidance states that “students in private schools are eligible recipients of services, similar to those provided to their public school peers using Federal funding.” This can include instructional services; expanded learning time, including before- and after-school programs; one-on-one tutoring; summer school programs; family literacy programs; counseling programs; mentoring programs; computer-assisted instruction; home tutoring; and instruction using take-home computers.

The department also recently announced one-time investments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) to support “the unique and historic contributions of these institutions of higher education.”