Department of Education grants millions to charters, HBCUs, history programs

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) pledged millions in grants for educational reform – prioritizing school choice and American history programs.

“Today, the Department is making three massive investments – redirecting financial support away from ineffective and discriminatory programs toward those which support student success,” U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a press release on Monday. 

The ED will distribute these funds to charter schools, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), as well as American history and civics programs. 

“These investments will be repurposed from programs that the Department determined are not in the best interest of students and families,” the press release said. 

Of these grants, $500 million will fund charter schools “to support education choice in fiscal year 2025,” marking “the largest investment ever in the Charter Schools Program.” This grant fulfills McMahon’s previous promise to increase charter school funding by $60 million, according to the press release. 

The ED granted $495 million to HBCUs and TCCUs in addition to the 2025 fiscal year investment. In total, HBCUs will receive more than $1.34 billion – a 48.45% increase of anticipated funds – and TCCUs will receive more than $108 million – a 109.3% increase of anticipated funds. 

Additionally, the ED pledged to invest more than $160 million in American history and civics grants, in anticipation of the 250^th anniversary of America’s founding. In an executive order in March, President Donald Trump promised to restore American history from the “distorted narrative” and “corrosive ideology” observed by critics of public education. 

While Trump said the focus is on federal sites such as parks and museums, and especially The Smithsonian Institution, the ED’s grants compliment the “Trump Administration’s priority to advance civic education,” according to the release.  

The ED’s repurposing of funds also follows Trump’s August executive order, “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking.” 

“Every tax dollar the Government spends should improve American lives or advance American interests,” Trump said. 

The order requires every agency to designate a new senior appointee responsible for reviewing “discretionary grants to ensure that they are consistent with agency priorities and the national interest.” 

In adherence to this order, McMahon said the ED reviewed its funds to match these requirements. 

“The Department has carefully scrutinized our federal grants, ensuring that taxpayers are not funding racially discriminatory programs but those programs which promote merit and excellence in education,” McMahon said in her statement. 

Trump announced the intended closure of the ED in March, granting McMahon authority to oversee this process and return educational authority to the states and local communities. He asked McMahon to ensure “the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely,” which she said she purposed to do through these federal grants.  

“The Trump Administration will use every available tool to meaningfully advance educational outcomes and ensure every American has the opportunity to succeed in life,” McMahon said.