The U.S. Department of Education announced new grant investments totaling more than $1.9 billion for fiscal year 2025. The largest share, $500 million, will go to charter schools, marking the biggest investment in the program’s history, according to federal officials.
The Charter Schools Program was created in 1994 under the Clinton administration. It provides grants to help states, charter management organizations and individual schools with startup costs, expansion and facilities. Annual funding has previously ranged from $200 million to $440 million.
The department pointed to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which has tracked student performance of 4th, 8th and 12th graders since the 1970s, to support the increase in charter school funding. The latest NAEP scores, released in 2024, showed an average decline in reading and math proficiency nationwide since 2019.
In higher education, Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities will receive a combined $1.45 billion, with one-time increases beyond normal allocations of 48.4 percent and 109.3 percent, respectively.
More than $160 million will also be invested in American history and civics programs tied to the nation’s upcoming semiquincentennial. The Education Department will hold webinars to guide applicants for the American History and Civics Seminars program, which funds evidence-based projects commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Applicants must design seminars for educators or students centered on the Founding principles, with priority given to higher education institutions that have dedicated academic units in areas such as constitutional studies and civic thought. Submissions showing intent to apply are due by July 2, 2025.
The department said this funding round reflects a redirection from programs it deemed less effective, with the stated goal of improving student outcomes nationwide.
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