$8.3 million federal grant will expand NC charter schools. Here’s where.
The Trump administration has awarded an $8.3 million federal grant that will help a North Carolina charter school network bring 3,740 new seats to families in Wake, Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and Guilford counties.
TMSA Public Charter Schools announced Thursday that it will receive $8.3 million over the next five years from the U.S. Department of Education’s Charter Schools Program grant. School leaders say the grant will support the replication and expansion of its STEAM-focused schools across North Carolina, particularly for students from underserved communities.
STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art and math.
“This award is a recognition of our commitment to inclusive excellence,” Ben Karaduman, superintendent of TMSA Public Charter Schools, said in a news release. “We are expanding opportunity and excellence for students from every walk of life, especially those who are seeking different options to meet their needs.”
Fast-growing charter school network
Charter schools are taxpayer-funded schools that are exempt from some of the regulations traditional public schools must follow. There are more than 200 charter schools in North Carolina.
TMSA serves more than 5,200 K-12 students in seven campuses.
TMSA began in 2008 with Triad Math and Science Academy in Greensboro. Triangle Math and Science Academy opened in 2012 in Cary.
Queen City STEM School, founded in Charlotte in 2015, became TMSA Charlotte in 2022.
TMSA opened a high school campus in Apex last year that serves more than 1,000 students.
More recently, TMSA acquired the campus of Valor Preparatory Academy in Concord to expand into Cabarrus County.
In an email Thursday, Karaduman said the grant will allow TMSA to expand its existing schools and replicate a new K-8 school in Wake County. He said TMSA’s expansion plans include enhancing facilities with new technology and classroom resources and hiring instructional coaches and leadership staff.
Trump promoting charter schools
The Department of Education notified TMSA of the grant in late March. The grant award comes during a period of major change in the federal education landscape.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education and has terminated hundreds of million dollars in federal education grants, including tens of millions of dollars going to North Carolina school districts.
But even as the Trump administration has been cutting funding for traditional public schools, it has increased federal support for charter schools and private school voucher programs.
Trump directed the secretary of education to prioritize school choice programs in the Department of Education’s discretionary grant programs.
The Department of Education announced it was removing “excessive regulatory burdens” on charter school grant applications and releasing $33 million in charter school grant funding.
In the Spotlight designates ongoing topics of high interest that are driven by The News & Observer’s focus on accountability reporting.
This story was originally published April 10, 2025 at 12:38 PM with the headline "$8.3 million federal grant will expand NC charter schools. Here’s where.."
