Subgrants part of five-year federal program
MADISON — The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has awarded $9.8 million in federal subgrants to support the planning, opening, and expansion of 10 charter schools across the state.
This marks the second round of funding under a U.S. Department of Education grant designed to strengthen and grow charter school opportunities in Wisconsin. Grants were awarded through a competitive application process and support three focus areas: planning and implementation for new charter schools opening in fall 2026; implementation funding for schools that recently opened or are set to open in 2025; and expansion grants for existing, high-quality charter schools.
Wisconsin’s charter school program gives priority to schools that serve educationally disadvantaged students and works to enhance the quality of charter school authorizers statewide. To qualify as a high-quality charter school, applicants must demonstrate:
- Strong academic achievement and student growth
- Sound financial practices in compliance with state and federal regulations
- Clear, measurable improvements in student academic outcomes, including graduation rates
A third round of competitive subgrants will open in fall 2025 for the 2025-26 school year. Interested applicants can find more details on the DPI’s Charter Schools webpage. A full list of 2025 charter school subgrantees is available in this PDF.
