Virginia Attorney General Criticizes Changes to Charter School Funding

Miyares joins coalition of AGs against the federal changes

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced that he has joined with attorneys general from 15 other states criticizing the Biden Administration’s new regulatory proposal restricting federal grants for public charter schools. The coalition sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education arguing that these changes would decrease funding to charter schools which compete with underperforming public schools.

The changes would require that charter schools prove over-enrollment in local public schools rather than proving that there is a demand for high-quality education. It could also give low-performing public schools the opportunity to veto funding for charter schools.

“No two children are the same so it’s important to have educational diversity and options that work best for each student,” Miyares said in a statement. “The success and availability of charter schools in the United States is fundamental to parental rights. Parents know what is best for their children, and charter schools provide families unhappy with the existing local public schools an alternative. Any effort to weaken the charter school system will be damaging to young Americans nationwide who want a different option for education.”