President Joe Biden’s administration is considering new rules on federal financing of public charter schools. Charter schools are different from traditional public schools. They operate similarly to private schools, but still receive money from the government. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools says that charter schools are a public “school of choice.” They are free to attend like other public schools. Charters are given more freedom than traditional public schools in operations and development of curriculum. They are not governed by local school boards and are free from many state and local regulations. To get permission to operate, a school must establish a “charter,” promising to meet certain academic standards. The federal Charter Schools Program gives money for the planning and design of new charter schools, also called startups. The administration’s proposed new rules would not affect existing charter schools. But new charter schools seeking federal money would have to meet new requirements. For example, the federal government would give priority to charter schools that work with local school districts. The new rules also would block for-profit charter schools from receiving government financing. For-profit charter schools are controversial because they are operated by for-profit companies. The Biden administration has been very critical of for-profit charter schools, arguing that public money should not go to for-profit companies.