Iowa Department of Education earns $43 million multi-year federal grant to support high-quality public charter schools

Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education today announced the state was awarded a multi-year competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Education totaling more than $43 million over five years to support the success of high-quality public charter schools across the state.

“Public charter schools provide yet another school choice for parents and guardians looking for the education option that’s best suited for their children’s abilities and needs,” said Gov. Kim Reynolds. “This $43 million grant recognizes Iowa as a leader in educational freedom and supports our innovative work to expand high-quality, tuition-free, public charter schools as an option for Iowa students and families.”

The federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grants to State Entities is a competitive grant program awarded to state entities to provide subgrants to public charter schools, supporting the growth and expansion of high-quality educational choices for families. Iowa is one of only 6 states to be awarded a 2025 grant.

“We are proud of this federal recognition of and investment in Iowa’s strong education landscape, empowering Iowa families to choose the high-quality education option that best matches their children’s learning styles, cultivates their talents and meets their needs,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “With the support of this grant, Iowa’s dedicated educators will continue to improve, innovate and grow new learning environments that see every child, meet them where they are and provide what they need to realize their incredible potential.”

Iowa’s public charter schools are tuition-free public schools that operate under a governing board, and are authorized by the Iowa State Board of Education. Public charter schools have the autonomy to organize around a core mission, curriculum, and instructional methodology. In return for this autonomy, a charter school is accountable for results. Charter schools must meet all terms of their charter agreement with the State Board of Education, including student enrollment and performance outcomes. Charter school students participate in Iowa’s statewide assessment and accountability system, just as all other public schools. Currently Iowa has 10 charter schools in operation and another 6 that have been approved to open over the next 2 years.  

This federal grant builds upon Iowa’s $7 million charter school grant announced last year to support infrastructure costs. State legislation enacted in 2021 and 2024 also expanded the ability to form charter schools in Iowa and modified provisions related to the sale of real property by school districts, charter school and open enrollment funding.

The CSP State Entities program is authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (20 U.S.C. 7221-7221j).

Information on charter schools in Iowa is available on the Department’s Charter Schools webpage. Information on the Quality Charter Schools Program Grant to State Entities is available on the U.S. Department of Education’s website.