Introduction to the Issue
U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez is urging the Trump administration to reinstate funding for New York City’s magnet schools, claiming the administration’s decision to cancel already-awarded grants was “illegal” and could impact students for years to come. The Trump administration in September canceled $47 million in federal Magnet School Assistance Program funds after the city missed a deadline set by the federal Department of Education to change its policies on transgender students.
Background on the Cancellation
Federal officials had said the city’s rules allowing transgender students to use facilities and participate on sports teams in line with their gender identity violated Title IX, and said funding would be pulled unless those policies were changed. The policies, which align with city and state law, remained in place — though Mayor Eric Adams publicly considered changing them — and the federal government summarily canceled five different five-year MSAP grants. It similarly cut MSAP grants for school districts in Chicago and Virginia.
Impact on Students and Schools
“The administration is punishing New York children because the city refuses to turn its back on transgender students,” Velázquez told Brooklyn Paper in a statement. “That is unacceptable. Congress approved this funding, and the administration must do the right thing and release it immediately.” The grants provided “critical funding” for STEAM, arts, engineering, journalism, and leadership programs at schools “which have historically served isolated, and overwhelmingly low-income, Hispanic and Black students,” according to a lawsuit the city filed against the federal DOE in October.
Affected Schools
Five of those schools are located in Velázquez’s district: P.S. 171 Abraham Lincoln, P.S. 86 The Irvington, P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell and P.S. 145 Andrew Jackson, all in Brooklyn; and P.S. 64 Joseph P. Addabbo in Ozone Park, Queens. All five schools serve students who are majority Hispanic or Asian, and have higher-than-average numbers of students facing economic hardship, according to city data. The four Brooklyn schools were chosen to become magnet schools in 2022.
Response from Velázquez
In a Nov. 17 letter to federal Department of Education secretary Linda E. McMahon and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, Velázquez said the grant cancellation undermined the DOE’s own goals and could widen opportunity gaps for magnet school students. “Your administration’s baseless cancellation of millions of grant funding in response to New York City policies that are inclusive and protective of students regardless of gender identity is not only reckless but discriminatory,” Velázquez wrote.
Purpose of the MSAP Program
The MSAP program was created to support the desegregation of public schools, provide equitable access to high-quality education, and create “innovative educational methods and practices,” per the U.S. Department of Education. “In my district, magnet schools keep students engaged and help boost academic achievements, producing national chess champions, award-winning debaters, and accomplished dancers,” the congress member wrote. “The MSAP program has a proven track record of preparing students for success as they progress on the pathway to higher education.”
Call to Action
She urged the feds to reverse the cancellation “so that our city can continue to protect the civil rights of all students while providing quality education to all students to prepare them to enter the workforce and contribute meaningfully to our economy, culture, and civic life.” Last month, New York City sued the federal DOE in an effort to get the grants reinstated.
Legal Action
Per court documents, federal officials in the past have found that the city’s MSAP projects were “entirely consistent with Title IX,” and that the Trump administration has a “fixation with upending the Department’s previously accepted interpretation of Title IX.” The city also said the grant cancellations were carried out “unlawfully,” without observing Title IX’s rules, and were a “clear attempted end run around the Congressional directive that school funding not be pulled on a whim.”
Recent Developments
On Nov. 20, the city and the U.S. DOE reached an agreement in federal court that allows NYCPS to use leftover grant funds — about $12 million — from Fiscal Year 2025 for expenses incurred in FY2026. The city will “continue to push to reach a final decision” on the grants for FY2026-28, said schools chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos in a statement.
Conclusion
The cancellation of the magnet school grants has significant implications for the students and schools affected. Velázquez and the city are fighting to have the grants reinstated, citing the importance of the MSAP program in providing equitable access to high-quality education. The outcome of this dispute will have a lasting impact on the education and opportunities available to students in New York City.
FAQs
Q: What is the Magnet School Assistance Program (MSAP)?
A: The MSAP program was created to support the desegregation of public schools, provide equitable access to high-quality education, and create innovative educational methods and practices.
Q: Why were the MSAP grants canceled?
A: The grants were canceled because the city’s policies allowing transgender students to use facilities and participate on sports teams in line with their gender identity were deemed to violate Title IX by federal officials.
Q: Which schools are affected by the grant cancellation?
A: Five schools in Velázquez’s district are affected: P.S. 171 Abraham Lincoln, P.S. 86 The Irvington, P.S. 116 Elizabeth L Farrell, P.S. 145 Andrew Jackson, and P.S. 64 Joseph P. Addabbo.
Q: What is the city doing to fight the grant cancellation?
A: The city has sued the federal DOE in an effort to get the grants reinstated and has reached an agreement to use leftover grant funds for expenses incurred in FY2026.
Q: What is the potential impact of the grant cancellation on students?
A: The cancellation could widen opportunity gaps for magnet school students and undermine the DOE’s own goals of providing equitable access to high-quality education.
