Prosper: providing steam integration, rigor, and new opportunities for students to promote equitable, real-world pathways

ST Martin Parish School Board received a $5.21 million Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education under the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (CFDA 84.165) awarded October 1, 2025, for the PROSPER initiative. The award supports the establishment and operation of magnet schools designed to integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education within a voluntary desegregation framework. The program will serve underrepresented student populations through special curricula and instructional pathways that combine rigorous academics with real-world applications, while promoting equitable educational opportunities and reducing minority-group isolation in the St. Martin Parish School System located in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.

The PROSPER initiative aligns with Magnet Schools Assistance Program objectives by offering evidence-based STEAM integration pathways that attract students from diverse backgrounds and support systemic educational reform. The project period extends through September 30, 2026, during which the school district will implement specialized instructional programming designed to strengthen student knowledge and skills while advancing voluntary desegregation goals. As a recipient of substantial federal grant support across multiple educational programs, ST Martin Parish School Board demonstrates established capacity to manage complex federal funding mechanisms and deliver targeted services to vulnerable and minority student populations.