ED's Magnet Schools Assistance Program Accepting Applications from LEAs Through May 15

Applications are now being accepted for the U.S. Department of Education’s Magnet Schools Assistance Program, which provides funding to eligible local education agencies to establish and operate magnet schools, with special curricula, to attract a diverse group of students and desegregate public schools.

The deadline to give notice of intent to apply is Thursday, April 13, 2023; intent to apply notice is not required to apply for the grant but is encouraged. File notice of intent to apply by emailing [email protected] with the subject line, “[LEA Name(s)] Intent to Apply”].

Deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. ET on May 15, 2023. 

The MSAP program grants — totaling approximately $122 million — will be awarded to about 25 applicants, in increments of $1.5 million to $3.5 million annually for up to five years, according to ED’s notice on the Federal Register website.

The MSAP grant program, authorized by Congress in the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, aims to assist in the desegregation of schools served by local educational agencies by providing financial assistance to eligible local educational agencies for the following initiatives and programs (verbatim from ED’s application announcement):

  • The elimination, reduction, or prevention of minority group isolation in schools with substantial proportions of minority students

  • Magnet school programs that assist LEAs in achieving systemic reforms and providing all students the opportunity to meet challenging State academic standards

  • Innovative educational methods and practices that promote diversity and increase choices in public educational programs

  • Courses of instruction within magnet schools that strengthen knowledge of academic subjects and attainment of tangible skills

  • Improving capacity to continue operating magnet schools at a high-performance level after Federal funding

  • Ensuring that all students in the magnet schools have equitable access to high quality education to succeed 

MSAP webinars with technical assistance for interested applicants can be viewed on the MSAP website

The MSAP Team will hold open virtual office hours on Microsoft Teams on Thursdays, April 13 and 20, 2023 from 1–2 p.m. Eastern; potential applicants can ask questions and get help from the MSAP staff during this time. These sessions will not be recorded, ED said.

To join the open office hours on Teams, use the following: 

  • Meeting ID: 215 541 491 016

  • Passcode: zTucLn

Alternately, open office hours can be joined by phoning in (audio only): 202-991-0393,,25733361#; use Phone Conference ID: 257 333 61#

Applicants may also email [email protected] with questions or to schedule a meeting time.

About the Author

Kristal Kuykendall is editor, 1105 Media Education Group. She can be reached at [email protected].


Featured

  • abstract pattern of cybersecurity, ai and cloud imagery

    Report Identifies Malicious Use of AI in Cloud-Based Cyber Threats

    A recent report from OpenAI identifies the misuse of artificial intelligence in cybercrime, social engineering, and influence operations, particularly those targeting or operating through cloud infrastructure. In "Disrupting Malicious Uses of AI: June 2025," the company outlines how threat actors are weaponizing large language models for malicious ends — and how OpenAI is pushing back.

  • school building split in half, with one side collapsing into a dark hole

    Office of Educational Technology, National Center for Education Statistics Fall Victim to ED Cuts

    The U.S. Department of Education has announced cuts of nearly half of its staff, numbering more than 1,300 workers, according to AP reporting. While official details on the cuts are not available, early commentary on LinkedIn has revealed drastic cuts in the areas of educational technology and data.

  • Stylized illustration showing cybersecurity elements like shields, padlocks, and secure cloud icons on a neutral, minimalist digital background

    Microsoft Announces Host of Security Advancements

    Microsoft has announced major cybersecurity advancements across its product portfolio and practices. The work is part of its Secure Future Initiative (SFI), a multiyear cybersecurity transformation the company calls the largest engineering project in company history.

  • elementary school building with children outside, overlaid by a glowing data network and transparent graphs

    Toward a Holistic Approach to Data-Informed Decision-Making in Education

    With increasing access to data and powerful analytic tools, the temptation to reduce educational outcomes to mere numbers is strong. However, educational leadership demands a more holistic and thoughtful approach.