Education Funding for Options for Parents

Improving Schools by Expanding Options for Parents

The No Child Left Behind Act increases the educational options available to students and parents, particularly for students who need the most help, such as those attending schools that are identified for improvement under the new law.

Thanks to President Bush's leadership and the bipartisan support of Members of Congress, children in schools identified by their State as in need of improvement may transfer to a better-performing public school, including a public charter school, and low-income children attending such schools may obtain tutoring and other extra academic assistance from the provider of their choice. NCLB also gives students in persistently dangerous schools the right to transfer to a safe school within the district.

In addition, No Child Left Behind promotes greater educational options for parents by funding the expansion of charter schools, encouraging States and districts to create school choice programs, and providing information to parents to help them take advantage of choice options.

Real Choice for All Parents
The President's education budgets have provided the following:

More than $77 million for Voluntary Public School Choice grants to expand State and local public school choice programs. If the Administration's 2005 budget is enacted, the investment will exceed $104 million. These grants finance planning, transportation, tuition transfer payments, and other efforts to increase the capacity of schools to accept students exercising a choice option.

More than $617 million for Charter School Grants to support new and existing charter schools. If the Administration's 2005 budget is enacted, the investment will exceed $836 million. The Department of Education has supported funding for the planning, development, and implementation of charter schools, and for dissemination activities at schools with a demonstrated history of success. The grants also support research focused on charter schools' impact on student achievement and maintain the website, http://www.uscharterschools.org.

Approximately $62 million for Credit Enhancement for Charter School Facilities to assist charter schools in acquiring, leasing, and renovating school facilities. If the Administration's 2005 budget is enacted, the investment will total $162 million. The Department of Education has supported these competitive grants to public and nonprofit entities to provide loan guarantees, insure debt, and promote other actions to encourage private lending and bonding for additional charter facilities.

Approximately $7.5 million to provide resources to parents about NCLB, including information about how to transfer their child to another public school or enroll their child in supplemental services. The Department is supporting a variety of discretionary grants to inform parents about the public school choice and supplemental services provisions, including a grant to create and maintain a comprehensive website on supplemental services: http://www.tutorsforkids.org.

In addition to funding under NCLB, $40 million to provide greater choices for DC families and improve education in the District. In 2004, this includes funding to improve D.C.'s public school system, expand charter schools in the district, and provide scholarships for low-income students to attend a private school of their choice.

Call 1-888-814-6252 or visit http://www.ed.gov for more information on No Child Left Behind