MSAP
What is MSAP?
The Houston ISD Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) is a 2023-2028 grant-funded initiative focused on strengthening STEM and medical curriculum across six middle schools to enhance academic standards and increase diversity. The program aims to reduce minority group isolation and provide specialized, rigorous instruction.
Key Aspects of the HISD MSAP Initiative:
- Target Schools: The project focuses on six middle schools, enhancing them with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) or STEM + Medical programs.
- Objectives: Goals include increasing academic achievement, fostering diverse student populations, and building capacity for specialized, theme-based learning.
- Grant Funding: The initiative is supported by the federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program, designed to support school choice and desegregation efforts.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to provide specialized educational options within the Houston Independent School District.
Curriculum Developer
Meet Mrs. Chastity Quave
Chastity Quave is a passionate educator and instructional leader with more than 20 years of experience in education, STEM, technology, curriculum development, and program leadership. Throughout her career, she has served as a teacher, department chair, mentor, robotics coach, program coordinator, and curriculum developer, with a strong commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for both students and educators.
Currently serving as Curriculum Developer with Houston ISD’s Office of School Choice MSAP Program, Chastity supports the development of STEM and STEM+M programming, builds community and business partnerships, and helps strengthen Career and Technical Education opportunities. She believes leadership is about serving others, building relationships, creating opportunities, and making a lasting difference—especially for students.
Contact
Chastity Quave
Coordinator
Meet Ms. Kisha Parker
Passionate about opening doors to lifelong success, Kisha Parker brings over 15 years of experience empowering students, families, and school communities through targeted educational programming, family engagement, and robust community partnerships. A proud graduate of Texas Southern University with a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing, Kisha combines strategic program coordination with a genuine dedication to student advocacy.
Her career spans both nonprofit and public-school sectors, including serving as an Education Specialist at Urban Strategies Inc. where she guided families through educational planning and coordinated youth enrichment services. Within the Houston Independent School District, she has worked as a Wraparound Resource Specialist acting as a trusted advisor to helping not remove non-academic barriers to student success and a Registrar and Magnet School Coordinator guiding families through school choice and enrollment logistics. By combining strategic program management with deep community partnerships, Kisha continues to empower students and families for lifelong success. Whether she is facilitating workshops, coordinating career readiness initiatives, or connecting families with vital resources, Kisha is deeply committed to fostering equitable access to college and postsecondary opportunities.
Contact
Kisha Parker
Campus Impact
The Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) has had a significant and lasting impact on Attucks STEAM Academy by strengthening our magnet program and expanding access to high-quality STEAM learning opportunities for students. Through MSAP funding and resources, our campus has been able to provide students with greater access to technology, innovative curriculum, and hands-on experiences that extend learning beyond the traditional classroom.
MSAP has helped grow and enhance our magnet program by increasing the availability of student technology and robotics equipment, including robotics kits that allow students to design, build, program, test, and improve their own creations. These resources have strengthened students’ problem-solving, critical-thinking, collaboration, and engineering skills while providing authentic opportunities to apply classroom concepts.
MSAP support has also allowed Attucks STEAM Academy to expand our journalism and digital media program through the purchase of podcasting and multimedia equipment. Students now have greater opportunities to develop communication, interviewing, research, writing, audio production, and digital storytelling skills while creating content that highlights student voice and our school community.
A particularly important impact of MSAP has been the expansion of our robotics and emerging-technology opportunities. MSAP funding has provided resources for robotics competitions, drones, robotics equipment, and a dedicated robotics curriculum taught by the MSAP teacher. Students are able to move beyond simply learning about technology to actively designing, programming, operating, testing, and competing with it. Robotics competitions further provide students with opportunities to demonstrate their skills, experience teamwork under real-world conditions, and build confidence in their ability to solve complex challenges.
Collectively, these investments have helped Attucks STEAM Academy create a stronger and more engaging magnet experience. MSAP has provided the resources necessary to turn innovative ideas into meaningful student experiences while increasing access to technology and STEAM opportunities that may otherwise have been unavailable to many of our students.
Most importantly, MSAP has helped us build a magnet program where students are not simply consumers of technology—they are becoming creators, designers, engineers, programmers, journalists, problem-solvers, and innovators. Through increased access to technology, robotics, drones, digital media, competitions, and specialized instruction, MSAP continues to strengthen Attucks STEAM Academy's ability to prepare students with the skills, experiences, and confidence needed for future success in STEAM education and careers.
At Attucks STEAM Academy, MSAP is helping us build tomorrow's STEAM professionals, today!
