Department Awards $100 Million in Magnet School Grants (US)

October 1, 2010

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced the award of $100 million in Magnet School grants to 36 school districts in 15 states. The awards will help school districts increase public school choices for parents and help districts attract a diverse group of students from throughout their communities.

Magnet School grants provide funding to districts for up to three years. The first-year grants range in size from $470,000 to $4 million. The awards will help school districts bring diverse groups of children together through the use of innovative educational programs and will create more school choices for parents.

The funds awarded today will help school districts establish new magnet schools or expand existing magnet programs that are part of a school district’s voluntary or required desegregation plan.

"Magnet schools play an important role in providing public school options for parents and in diversifying public schools," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said.

The purpose of the program is to:

    * eliminate, reduce, or prevent minority group isolation in elementary and secondary schools with substantial proportions of minority students;
    * develop and implement magnet school programs that will assist in achieving systemic reforms and provide all students the opportunity to meet challenging state academic content standards and student achievement standards;
    * develop innovative educational methods and practices that promote diversity and increase choices in public el ementary and secondary schools;
    * promote courses of instruction within magnet schools that will substantially strengthen students’ knowledge of academic subjects and attainment of tangible and marketable vocational, technological, and professional skills;
    * improve the capacity of school districts to continue operating magnet schools after federal funding ends; and,
    * ensure that all students in magnet schools programs have equitable access to high-quality education that enables them to succeed academically and continue with post-secondary education or productive employment.

The Magnet Schools Assistance Program is authorized under Title V, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Act, as amended in 1994 and is administered by the Office of Innovation and Improvement.

Following is a list of Magnet School Assistance Program Grantees for FY 2010:

Arizona

    * Tucson Unified School District — $2,376,751
      Tucson, Arizona

California

    * ABC Unified School District — $2,023,192
      Cerritos, California
    * Desert Sands Unified School District — $1,284,840
      La Quinta, California
    * Glendale Unified School District — $2,668,758
      Glendale, California
    * Los Angeles Unified School District — $3,615,131
      Los Angeles, California
    * Moorpark Unified School District — $852,025
      Moorpark, California
    * Napa Valley Unified School District — $2,591,864
      Napa, California
    * San Diego Unified School District — $2,608,180
      San Diego, California
    * Ventura Unified School District — $850,000
      Ventura, California

Colorado

    * El Paso County School District #11 — $2,334,368
      Colorado Springs, Colorado

Connecticut

    * Area Cooperative Educational Services — $473,767
      North Haven, Connecticut
    * Capitol Region Education Council — $3,729,379
      Hartford, Connecticut
    * New Haven Public Schools — $3,017,801
      New Haven, Connecticut

Florida<br /&gt ;

    * Duval County Public Schools — $4,000,000
      Jacksonville, Florida
    * Hillsborough County Public Schools — $3,904,128
      Tampa, Florida
    * School Board of Polk County — $3,964,935
      Bartow, Florida
    * The School Board of Broward County — $3,137,326
      Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Indiana

    * Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township — $3,990,901
      Indianapolis, Indiana

Kansas

    * Unified School District 259 dba Wichita Public Schools — $1,007,711
      Wichita, Kansas

Louisiana

    * Lafayette Parish School Board — $3,941,306
      Lafayette, Louisiana
    * Tangipahoa Parish School District — $2,046,177
      Amite, Louisiana

Massachusetts

    * Springfield Public Schools — $3,889,500
      Springfield, Massachusetts

Minnesota

    * Independent School District 197 — $2,211,380
      Mendota Heights, Minnesota

Mississippi

    * Cleveland School District — $1,092,899
      Cleveland, Mississippi

New York

    * City School District of Albany — $2,500,000
      Albany, New York
    * Community School District 14 — $3,382,808
      Brooklyn, New York
    * Community School District 3 — $3,765,525
      New York, New York
    * Community School District 30 — $3,787,532
      Long Island City, New York

South Carolina

    * Orangeburg County Consolidated School District Three — $2,152,025
      Holly Hill, South Carolina
    * Richland School District Two — $2,828,890
      Columbia, South Carolina
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Tennessee

    * Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools — $4,000,000
      Nashville, Tennessee

Texas

    * Corpus Christi Independent School District — $2,256,619
      Corpus Christi, Texas
    * Ector Independent School District — $2,267,860
      Odessa, Texas
    * Galveston Independent School District — $3,950,000
      Galveston, Texas
    * Houston Independent School District — $3,736,835
      Houston, Texas
    * The Rhodes School — $1,321,003
      Houston, Texas