Magnet Schools of America

Due to the severe winter storm conditions in the city, the 2010 Legislative Advocacy Training Conference has been cancelled.  Attendee registration fees will be refunded in full and appropriate speaker materials as we receive them will be posted on the MSA website.

Today, President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2011 Federal Budget and we are happy to report that the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) was increased by 10% to $110 million for FY 2011. In addition to the increase, it is important to note that the MSAP program is NOT one of the 38 programs slated for consolidation or elimination by the President's proposed budget. The relevant portion of the budget is attached. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office at 202-824-0672.

According to the Connecticut Mirror, "Connecticut's Sheff vs. O'Neill desegregation court ruling led to a spurt in education funding, a $2 billion expansion of magnet schools and renewed attention to the state's troubled urban districts. But did it help children learn?Yes, says University of Connecticut researcher Casey Cobb-and not just for inner city students, but for their suburban classmates as well." The full article can be accessed here.

According to a recent article published in Education Week, "President Barack Obama will seek $1.35 billion in next year's budget to expand the Race to the Top competition, paving the way for the popular economic-stimulus grant program to become a permanent part of the administration's education arsenal." To read the article in its entirety, please click here

According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, charter schools generally perform better than traditional schools, but not as well as magnets. A full copy of this story may be found here.