Image by cherylt23 from Pixabay 

February 3, 2025 - Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Education posted the folowing:

On the final day of a historic National School Choice Week, and in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order on expanding school choice, the U.S. Department of Education  announced last Friday the withdrawal of two burdensome and misaligned Notices Inviting Application (NIA) for the State Entity Charter School Grant Program and the Charter Management Organization Grant Program. The Department also announced the release of $33 million in grant funding for Charter Management Organizations under last year’s Charter School Program (CSP) competition. 

“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, Office of Communications and Outreach. “We will continue to identify and remove barriers in the way of educational innovation and excellence.”

The withdrawn NIAs were published in the waning days of the Biden administration and included excessive regulatory burdens and promoted discriminatory practices.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 Department is also fast-tracking the release of $33 million in CSP grants for Charter Management Organizations that were previously stalled by the Biden administration. These grants will support the expansion of high-quality educational opportunities for students and families. CSP grant recipients will be prohibited from spending any grant funds on DEI initiatives or race-based discriminatory practices. 
Source: U.S. Dept. of Ed.