McMahon can lock in charter school gains for Iowa and the nation

Education Secretary Linda McMahon has a clear window to cement charter school opportunities for Iowa families and students nationwide, according to a new state-by-state scorecard that shows strong charter laws drive better academic outcomes. With student proficiency in crisis, the push to codify proven charter school principles into federal law has never been more urgent.

The scorecard, released by the Center for Education Reform, reveals that states with robust charter school laws not only boost achievement but also lead the way in creating innovative public schools. Iowa ranks among the top states in the nation for its charter school framework, a fact that should matter to every Hawkeye parent and taxpayer.

Why charter schools matter for Iowa students

Charter schools have enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress since the mid-1990s, when the reform movement first took root. The idea is simple: give teachers, parents, and community leaders the freedom to build and run their own public schools, free from the bureaucratic red tape that often stifles innovation in traditional districts.

For Iowa families, charter schools represent choice, accountability, and opportunity. They allow parents to select the educational environment that best fits their child's needs, rather than being locked into a one-size-fits-all system determined by zip code.

The federal grant program has drifted from its original intent

Congress created the Public Charter School Grant Program in 1997, spearheaded by the late Rep. Frank Riggs (R-Calif.) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. The program was designed to incentivize states to pass laws that give charter schools genuine independence and operational freedom.

But somewhere along the way, the program lost its way. Overzealous lawmakers and regulators shifted the focus from supporting school freedom to meeting regulatory benchmarks. The result? States with weak charter laws have been rewarded with millions in federal dollars, while states like Iowa that have done the hard work of building strong frameworks sometimes get shortchanged.

Consider Connecticut, which ranks at the bottom of the scorecard yet received $24.5 million in 2022. The state funnels money to an agency openly hostile to charter schools while denying them equitable funding. California, which restricts charters to district approvals, received the largest grant in 2024. Rhode Island, earning a D-minus and ranking 45th nationally, maintains a statutory cap on new charter schools.

Iowa leads the way on charter school quality

Here is the good news for Iowa: under Secretary McMahon's leadership, the Education Department has begun steering major awards to states that have maintained and improved their strong charter laws. In fiscal 2025, Ohio, North Carolina, and Iowa all received significant funding recognition.

Iowa's charter school law has been praised for its independent authorizers, real operational autonomy, and funding that follows students. These are the proven measures of what makes a great charter law, and Iowa has them.

But here is the rub: these funding decisions depend on who sits in the secretary's chair. A future administration could reverse course without changing a single word of the law, leaving Iowa's charter schools vulnerable to political winds.

Congress must codify charter school principles

Three pro-charter members of Congress have introduced bills this year that would isolate and favor certain programs within the grant system. Unfortunately, these efforts risk undermining the very goal they seek to achieve: more and better charter school laws at the state level.

The solution is straightforward. Congress should codify the original principles of the 1997 law, making them requirements rather than choices. The Education Department should ask the question Congress intended in 1997: Does this state's law actually let charter schools be charter schools?

The scorecard provides the answer. Congress needs to ensure the principles are locked in, so that Washington rewards freedom rather than bureaucracy.

What Secretary McMahon can do now

Secretary McMahon has a bully pulpit, and she should use it. She can champion states like Iowa that have done the hard work of building strong charter laws. She can press states that have not, starting with her home state of Connecticut, to remove barriers keeping schools from opening and growing.

For Iowa families, the stakes are clear. Charter schools expand educational opportunity, drive innovation, and hold all schools to a higher standard. Locking in the federal commitment to charter freedom means Iowa's students will continue to benefit for generations to come.

Jeanne Allen is founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform and author of The Education Avengers: Why and How A New Class of Heroes Is Fighting America's Biggest Battle.