U.S. Department of Education
01/26/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/26/2026 07:39
U.S. Department of Education Celebrates National School Choice Week
January 26, 2026
Today, the U.S. Department of Education kicked off its celebration of National School Choice Week, a time to highlight the many different types of education across the United States and to empower families to choose the best learning option for their child's success.
"During National School Choice Week, we celebrate how school choice has changed the lives of millions of students by empowering parents and families to choose a school or program that best meets their child's needs," said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. "That's why the Trump Administration has worked to invest a record $500 million for charter school expansion, support the first-ever federal tax credit for education scholarships, and most importantly, return education to the states - so that decisions are made closest to the child. Happy National School Choice Week, and here's to giving parents more power, educators more flexibility, and students more freedom to be successful in 2026!"
Click here to download Secretary McMahon's School Choice Week Message
This January 25-31 marks the 16th anniversary of National School Choice Week.
In the first year of President Trump's second term, the U.S. Department of Education has taken historic action to expand school choice by:
- Awarding $500 million to the Charter Schools Programs, the largest investment in the program ever;
- Championing the largest national expansion of education freedom in history - the Education Freedom Tax Credit;
- Urging states to expand education choice by using up to 3% of their federal Title I allocation to support education choice initiatives;
- Encouraging states to continue to maximize parent options for choosing the safest school setting for their children;
- Providing guidance to states so that they can prioritize school improvement dollars to districts that will turn around underperforming schools and give students school choice options;
- Approving the first-in-the-nation 'Returning Education to the States' Waiver to Iowa - empowering states and local leaders to have more control over their federal dollars;
- Releasing additional guidance on how states might provide equitable services for students enrolled in private schools in more efficient and effective ways to best meet private school students' needs; and
- Issuing guidance to states on the Ed-Flex authority to encourage local innovation.
U.S. Department of Education published this content on January 26, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 26, 2026 at 13:39 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]