Wisconsin has one of the higher closure rates in the U.S. for charter schools, according to a new report, which lays out the challenges of staying open.

Charter schools, which receive public funding but are often run by private entities, are billed as alternative learning environments for families who feel they need more options. But the new findings show nationally, more than a quarter of them close by year five, with rates worsening over time. Wisconsin is among the states with a closure rate of at least 45%.

Jenni Hofschulte, southeast Wisconsin representative for the Wisconsin Public Education Network, said families enrolled are left scrambling when a charter school abruptly closes.

"That's 45% of those families put into a lurch and having to make pivots and new choices for their children," Hofschulte pointed out.

She noted traditional public schools are happy to welcome these students back but added local districts often have to move quickly to place them. The report from the National Center for Charter School Accountability cited low enrollment, along with fraud and mismanagement as the top factors behind the closures. Backers of charters said despite such issues, the schools are sometimes still the best options in underserved areas.

Hofschulte acknowledged some families might be happy with their charter school but argued the push to authorize the sites over time ignores the root issues hindering educational outcomes.

"When you look at student outcomes, like, poverty plays the biggest role in it," Hofschulte explained. "But we're not talking about how to address poverty in communities. We're saying, 'Well, it must be the public school system. So, we'll do this other thing. You know, a charter will be better.'"

The Milwaukee Public School system recently dealt with a financial scandal. Hofschulte stressed it should not be taken lightly but suggested the examples are scrutinized more than the shortcomings of charter schools. According to state data, Wisconsin currently has 226 charter schools in operation.

Panic has set in at school districts across the Golden State as the Trump administration continues to withhold federal funds.

Tony Thurmond, state superintendent of public instruction, said California school districts stand to immediately lose close to $1 billion.

Luis Valentino, retired superintendent of Coachella Valley Unified School District and host of the podcast "District Leader: Transforming Education," said unless it is resolved quickly, schools will be forced to cut back or even eliminate programs.

"Without timely allocation tables from the United States Department of Education, states will be left uncertain, making it challenging to prepare for the 2025-26 school year," Valentino explained. "School districts, especially those in high-poverty and rural areas, will be left scrambling."

Last week the Department of Education notified schools across the country five grant programs are now "under review" to determine if they align with administration priorities. In a statement to Real Clear Politics, the Office of Management and Budget said "initial findings have shown that many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical left-wing agenda." The grants in question fund summer learning, teacher professional development and after-school programs. They also fund English language classes and support for children of migrants.

The grants are usually distributed on July 1. Valentino warned there will be far-reaching consequences if the congressionally-approved funding is not restored.

"Migrant children, English language learners and those in low-performing schools stand to lose vital support that helps them meet academic benchmarks," Valentino pointed out. "This decision will only exacerbate existing educational inequities across each state."

Programs already underway this summer are now in limbo. In a statement, the head of the Boys and Girls Clubs said without the promised funding, more than 900 sites nationwide serving 220,000 kids could be forced to shut their doors, taking almost 6,000 jobs with them.


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The Arkansas Space Grant Consortium at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock will use an $800,000 NASA grant to train students in STEM education and aerospace research.

Across the state, 18 colleges and universities are part of the consortium.

Constance Meadors, director of the consortium, said the program trains students to work for NASA as well as preparing them to work in the local aerospace industry.

"We really focus on workforce development, skills development and training," Meadors outlined. "We look to see how we can meet the needs of NASA, but also our goal is to meet the needs of the State of Arkansas as it relates to aerospace or workforce development."

Currently, 10 Arkansas college students are participating in internships at NASA Centers.

Part of the grant money will be used to create portable planetarium programs at several of the affiliate campuses, including Southern Arkansas University and Henderson State University. Students will take the planetariums to schools and community events to introduce more people to space science education.

Meadors added a recent graduate of the consortium received a research position due to his experience in the program.

"Because of having Space Grant research and experience in rocketry, the company had bumped him up," Meadors reported. "We want to impact our local aerospace industry as well, because aerospace is the number 1 export in the State of Arkansas. And so, we want to have homegrown employees."

The consortium will hold its first NASA ASTRO Camp in Arkansas in the fall semester, to teach students and faculty members how to share space exploration with younger students.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


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It is only early summer but North Dakota school districts are preparing for the fall.

As in recent years, some administrators are performing what amounts to a high-wire act in balancing resources and services. This year's legislative session saw a 2.5% increase in K-12 funding.

Leslie Bieber, superintendent of Alexander Public Schools, said health insurance costs are climbing higher and the latest national rankings show North Dakota falling further behind in average teacher pay. Bieber noted all those forces create an uphill challenge in maintaining a full staff.

"We had some teachers resign and we are choosing at this point not to replace one, just to help with budgeting purposes," Bieber explained.

Bieber pointed out she will carve out time from her administrative role this fall to help with teaching duties. She acknowledged her district is lucky because its small size does not create a lot of holes to fill but she still would like broader support. Despite misgivings about current funding, controversial plans like private school vouchers or Education Savings Accounts ultimately failed.

Public school advocates said such plans can be threats to their funding. However, North Dakota will begin welcoming charter schools, an approach long opposed by teachers' unions. Bieber stressed no matter the budget challenges in their way, she wants parents and students in her district to feel reassured educators will carry out their mission.

"Our goal is to do what's best for our students, no matter what kind of funds we have," Bieber emphasized.

Like local governments, school districts will have to adjust to a 3% cap on annual property tax increases. Supporters said the cap provides much-needed relief to homeowners, especially after voters rejected a ballot question to largely do away with local property taxes but municipal and educational leaders worry about their ability to cover operational expenses.


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