Lindsay Marchello reports for Carolina Journal:

North Carolina has won a federal grant totaling $23.6 million over five years to expand charter school opportunities.

Dave Machado, state Office of Charter Schools director, announced the awards Wednesday, Oct. 3 during the monthly meeting of the State Board of Education. Machado told board members the state has tried to win the grants over the past three years.

North Carolina is one of eight states to receive the Expanding Opportunities through Quality Charter School Program grants from the U.S. Department of Education. The other states are Michigan, Arkansas, Idaho, New York, Arizona, Delaware, and Colorado.

“We are really excited about this possibility,” Machado said. “It gives all our charter schools the ability to expand and lower the barriers that we are often accused of having, rightfully so or not, but this is very exciting. The $23.6 million will be fantastic for our students and families of choice in North Carolina.”

Read more here, including information on how the grant will be split into four sub-grants.