Mayor Adams, Chancellor Banks Announce $30 Million in Federal Funding to Create NYC's First-Ever Magnet High Schools

January 12, 2024

 Funding Will Support Creation of Six Magnet High Schools Across Bronx and Manhattan

 Investment in Students and New Schools Build on Adams Administration’s

Groundbreaking Efforts to Provide High-Quality Education for All Students

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks today announced that the city has won two U.S Department of Education Magnet Schools Assistance Program grants totaling nearly $30 million, which will fund the creation of the city’s first three magnet high schools. Magnet schools support the development of special curricula aligned to a specific theme that, in turn, help attract a more diverse groups of students. The grants will be administered over five years and go to six existing schools in the public school system throughout the Bronx and Manhattan.
The new magnet schools represent another major step in the Adams administration’s efforts to provide a high-quality education for all young New Yorkers. With key initiatives like “New York City Reads” to dramatically strengthen literacy and a comprehensive approach to supporting students with dyslexia, Mayor Adams and Chancellor Banks are reshaping education in New York City and delivering results, with English language arts and math test scores trending up and the racial learning gap narrowing.
“Since the start of our administration, we have kept schools safe and open, introduced a comprehensive approach to supporting students with dyslexia, and delivered strong growth in students’ test scores,” said Mayor Adams. “With this federal funding, our administration will now create six magnet high schools — the first-ever in New York City — to provide tailored learning opportunities for young New Yorkers. Every day, this administration continues to invest directly in our students, provide them with the tools they need to succeed in our public schools, and prepare them for great futures.”
“It is an honor to have our schools recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and to receive grant funds to further the work of providing our children with bright starts and bold futures,” said DOE Chancellor Banks. “Congratulations to the district superintendents who have a vision for their schools and will now work towards creating the first-ever magnet high schools in New York City.”
The schools in the Bronx Inter-District Magnet Consortium will include:

• The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology (X223) – The Magnet School of Career Connected Learning (includes grades 6-12)
• High School for Teaching and the Professions (X433) – The Magnet School for Aspiring 21st-Century Educators and Leaders
• Bronx High School for the Visual Arts (X418) – The Magnet School for Innovation through Visual Arts

The schools in the Manhattan Inter-District Magnet Consortium will include:

• Esperanza Preparatory Academy (M372) – The Magnet School for Early College, Exploration, and Leadership (includes grades 6-12)
• City College Academy of the Arts (M293) – City College Magnet School of the Arts (includes grades 6-12)
• Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis High School (M529) – The STEAM Magnet School for Business Careers

Schools were selected based on their need for assistance, quality of program design, evidence of instructional approaches that yield results in student achievement, diverse learning environments, and curricula opportunities that lead to earning college credit. Magnet grant funding is used to enhance each school’s instructional program, develop, and integrate the new magnet theme, and support professional development; recruitment; afterschool, weekend, and summer activities; and family engagement workshops.
In line with the Adams administration’s vision for a reimagined student experience that centers career-connected learning, each magnet school will develop an innovative, theme-based program that provides rigorous instruction and enrichment activities. This will provide students with opportunities to pair their in-school learning with real-world applications outside of school, while meeting challenging academic standards and ensuring college and career readiness.
“I am proud to support $30 million in federal education funds for the first magnet high schools in New York City, and to support the schools’ development over the next five years. These new high schools will bring together outstanding students from across the city and provide them with challenging and high-quality education,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “Thanks to Mayor Adams’s leadership, big investments are being made in the education and future of New York City’s students.” 
“I commend Mayor Eric Adams and Chancellor David C. Banks for the monumental initiative in establishing Magnet Schools in the Bronx and Manhattan,” said New York State Assemblymember Michael R. Benedetto, chair, Committee on Education. “May these schools cater to our best and brightest students in New York City, showing a commitment to excellence in education.”

 “Today is a historic victory for the youth of our city as Mayor Adams and Chancellor Banks have secured the funding to establish the first ever magnet high schools in New York,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “A quality education opened every door of opportunity for me, and I want all youth in this city to have those same opportunities. That is why I am so heartened that we are establishing six magnet schools which will uplift hundreds of students. Magnet schools are intended specifically to provide opportunities to low-income students and students of color and have been shown to turn around low performing schools. A majority of magnet schools have above average math and verbal test scores, and many achieve high graduation rates. Once again, we see the tremendous progress the mayor and chancellor have made to reshape our schools, resulting in higher test scores and a new reading curriculum that is a national model. I am proud to partner with them as they continue lead the nation’s largest school system.” 

 “Today's announcement by Mayor Adams and Chancellor Banks is a game-changer for our communities,” said New York State Assemblymember Manny De Los Santos. “The acquisition of $30 million in federal funding for New York City’s inaugural magnet high schools, located in the Bronx and Manhattan, is a testament to their commitment to quality education. As we witness the birth of three new schools, this investment will not only shape the educational landscape but also bridge gaps, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive. I commend the administration's dedication, and this transformative initiative is a beacon of hope for a brighter future in our neighborhoods.”

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