Charter schools recently received a $60 million funding increase from the otherwise shrinking Department of Education, bringing federal support for the taxpayer-funded alternative to public schools to half a billion dollars ahead of the 2025-2026 academic year. It’s a boost, although it’s still much less than what lower-performing neighborhood schools get.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon views the increase as a wise investment: charter schools across the nation are scoring better than traditional public schools in math, reading, and college readiness assessments.