Earlier today, the Magnet Schools TA Center sent an email to all MSAP grantees to clarify working on projects during the government shutdown. Both MSA and the Magnet Schools TA Center remain committed to assisting MSAP grantees through these challenging times. Please read the following message from the Magnet Schools TA Center:
As of October 1, 2025, the federal government officially shut down after Congress failed to pass a continuing resolution (CR) before FY 2025 funding expired at midnight. The House narrowly passed a bill to extend funding through November 21, but the Senate rejected it, along with a Democratic proposal to extend funding until October 31 and renew expiring health care subsidies.
As the nonprofit association that represents the nation’s thousands of magnet schools, Magnet Schools of America is deeply disappointed by the proposal to eliminate funding for the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP). Eliminating MSAP would not only dismantle one of the most effective tools for expanding public school choice, it would also reverse decades of bipartisan progress in public education.
We were thrilled to see 43 members of the House of Representatives, both Democrats and Republicans, signal their support for robust funding for the Magnet Schools Assistance Program in this year's federal budget process.
For MSA and our members, all eyes are on the Magnet Schools Assistance Program, and this year’s request includes $149 million for the MSAP, the same amount included in the fiscal year 2023 request. MSA believes that figure is insufficient to support the critical mission of magnet schools, and we urge the President and Congress to provide greater funding for the MSAP and to identify more opportunities to fund and prioritize magnet schools, in fiscal year 2024 and beyond.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C., March 13, 2023 – Today, Magnet Schools of America recognized the important investments included in the President’s fiscal year 2024 budget request but urged the Biden Administration and Congress to do more to support magnet schools and their critical mission to foster school integration through innovative, theme-based programming. “We applaud […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C., February 9, 2023 – Magnet Schools of America announced today at its 2023 Policy Training Conference that Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., of Georgia, was named the winner of the Magnet Champion of Excellence award. “I am honored to receive the Magnet Schools Champion of Excellence Award. Magnet schools are […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. — This week, congressional negotiators released the FY23 omnibus spending package, which contains a $15 million increase in Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) funding, increasing the total program funding to $139 million for next year. Combined with a $15 million increase last year, over the last two years, the magnet […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 17, 2022 — Magnet Schools of America (MSA) applauds the tremendous work of Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT) to formally introduce the Magnet Schools Accessibility, Growth and Nonexclusionary Enrollment Transformation (MAGNET) Act – which will substantially expand federal support for magnet schools for years to come. Senator Murphy […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 9, 2022 — Congressional negotiators have just unveiled a bipartisan agreement on government funding for this fiscal year, which sees the largest increase in history for the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP). The funding deal would provide an additional $15 million to MSAP, bringing the total from $109 million last year to […]
