The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has awarded two sizable grants to support and expand Alabama’s charter school network.
Alabama currently has 17 charter schools, with an additional three in the planning phase, set to open in the fall of 2025 and 2026. Three schools, including the controversial Magic City Acceptance Academy, are seeking reauthorization of their charters later this month.
The federal grants were awarded to the Alabama Public Charter School Commission, which received $29,964,656, and New Schools for Alabama, a nonprofit that helps qualified operators open and sustain new charter schools, which received $15,375,000.
The Charter School Commission grant was awarded through the Charter School State Entities Program. Meanwhile, the New Schools for Alabama grant was granted through the program’s Credit Enhancement initiative, which helps school operators with the costs of securing and maintaining facilities.
The Alabama School Choice and Student Opportunity Act was passed in 2015, allowing the establishment of public charter schools across the state.
According to the Alabama Charter School Commission, "This legislation aimed to increase educational options for Alabama families, particularly in underserved communities, by allowing the creation of high-quality, innovative charter schools focused on improving student outcomes. Under the Act, the Alabama Public Charter School Commission was established to oversee charter schools' approval, support, and accountability as an authorizer."
“Aligned with the Trump Administration’s focus on educational excellence and opportunity, the Charter Schools Program (CSP) expands education choice by providing more schooling options to students, particularly those that reside in failing districts,” the DOE website explains.
Alabama was one of six to be awarded money.
“The six grant programs available through the CSP increase the number of high-quality charter schools available to students across the Nation and empower parents to select the schooling option that best fits their child’s unique needs. This program supports excellence, accountability, and transparency in the operational performance of all authorized public chartering agencies,” the DOE stated.
While discussing the need for increased funding prior to the grant awards, Tyler Barnett of New Schools for Alabama testified to the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee about "the exponential growth of the charter school sector in Alabama—from just one school in 2018 to 17 schools serving more than 8,000 students today. Notably, over 2,000 students remain on waitlists, signaling growing demand for high-quality public school options."
According to New Schools for Alabama, "In 2025 alone, 10 out of 13 charter schools outperformed their district peers in reading scores, with many showing double-digit gains in literacy."
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