House committee proposes $60M increase for Charter Schools Program

The House Appropriations Committee has approved a funding increase for the Charter Schools Program (CSP) in its fiscal year 2026 bill, raising the allocation to $500 million. This represents a $60 million boost and marks the first increase since 2019.

Starlee Coleman, CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, commented on the decision: “We’re grateful to the House Appropriations Committee for making public charter schools a priority in the FY26 bill and especially to the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee. This bill would boost funding for the Charter Schools Program (CSP) to $500 million, a $60 million increase and the first bump since 2019. It’s a long-overdue investment that answers the call from families and communities nationwide for more public school options.

Importantly, the bill also includes new policy provisions to expand access to school facilities and reduce barriers to effective CSP implementation. Paired with increased funding for the CSP, these changes would supercharge the impact of high-quality charter schools nationwide.

The National Alliance thanks Committee Chairman Tom Cole (OK-04) and Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (AL-04), and the members of the subcommittee for their leadership in advancing public charter school options for families nationwide.

Representing less than 2% of total federal K-12 spending, the CSP has helped open and expand thousands of charter schools since 1994. Fully funding this program isn’t just smart policy: it’s common sense. Parent demand is rising, 74% of parents say they’d consider a charter for their children if one were available. Communities are following suit: applications for CSP funding doubled this year, signaling a sustained and strong demand for innovative, student-centered public schools.

Nearly 4 million students attend charter schools in 45 states and three jurisdictions. These tuition-free public schools deliver results, students gain the equivalent of 16 extra days of learning per year in reading, and six in math, compared to peers in traditional public schools.

For more than two decades, the National Alliance has worked alongside policymakers, advocates, educators, and families, all united in the fight for high-quality public charter schools. Today’s milestone moves us one step closer to a future where every student, without exception, has access to an excellent public education.”

Charter schools have become an established part of American education over more than three decades. There are currently about 8,150 charter schools across the country serving approximately 3.7 million students—about two-thirds from low-income or minority backgrounds—according to data from [the National Alliance](https://www.publiccharters.org/). Research indicates that these institutions often help improve academic outcomes by providing flexibility tailored to individual student needs while maintaining accountability standards set higher than those at traditional public schools.

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