Mission Bay High School (MBHS) is in the running for a $2.7 million federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) grant. If awarded, the three-year grant would help in multiple facets of the school’s academics. “This allows us three years to develop a plan by putting an influx of cash in the beginning but then studing how we sustain this after the money goes away,” said MBHS Principal Fred Hilgers. MBHS has already passed the preliminary stage for the grant because the San Diego Unified School District’s Board of Education approved the school as a candidate based on its diversity and low test scores. Hilgers said he will now work with the district to write up an application for the school, which will be submitted to the federal government next month. Hilgers said the goal of the MSAP grant is to do a “turnaround” at the campuses awarded the money. The main focus of the grant would be the school’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program by training IB teachers and getting more IB resources. “The curriculum changes in the IB program every three years,” Hilgers said. “If we want to be the best high school in five years, IB has to be one of the flags that we run up and say, ‘This is one of our things we’re proud of.’” MSAP grant dollars would also be spent on increasing technology in the school library and further developing MBHS’ marine science program by formalizing the school’s relationships with the University of California San Diego and the Navy’s Space and Air Warfare Center.