![]() Once our base school was identified, we could access the list of magnet schools we were eligible to apply to.” ![]() “We ended up getting a medium on both statuses, so we weren’t really sure of our chances. “You get a ranking based on the socioeconomic status of both your neighborhood and your base school,” she says. For Frese’s district, entrance to a magnet program is based on a weighted lottery. The application process varies by school and district, but most are based on a lottery system, and parents must apply for a chance to earn their child a spot. “I see that she has already absorbed a lot of great lessons about equality and appreciating others’ differences.” How do you get into a magnet school? “I love that my daughter is side-by-side with kids of all cultures and backgrounds,” Dohman says. Paul, Minnesota, appreciates the diversity at her daughter’s magnet school. As a key part of the admissions process today, most programs work toward becoming more inclusive and diverse in terms of: The inclusive mission of magnet schools is very tied to their history, which dates back to the Civil Rights era, when they were designed to help desegregate schools. Most magnet schools also teach skills like interaction, cooperation and team-building that students can carry with them into college and beyond. “We also see that this is a great way to capture kids who are falling through the cracks, who don’t have opportunities outside of school.” “Traditional schools are great for a lot of students, but magnet schools offer the theme-based education that is really about hooking them, engaging them, getting them to want to go to school every day,” Bucherie says. Kelly Bucherie, the Magnet Schools of America’s director of magnet school leadership, says magnet schools offer a unique opportunity for students whose traditional neighborhood school doesn’t offer the engagement they need. Here’s what you need to know about magnet schools to determine if they’re the best option for your family. ![]() Frese’s son is now enrolled at their first-choice magnet school.īoasting high academic standards, innovative curricula and an inclusive mission, magnet schools are in demand across the country, but many parents still have questions about how they operate, whether they’re good for the community overall and whether they’re worth the extra effort of applying. Once she’d narrowed down the choices, it was just a matter of getting in after applying through a local lottery. With about 20 programs to choose from in their district - each with their own unique themes, schedules, locations and transportation options - Frese had her work cut out for her. “A diverse student population was also important to us.” “We wanted to spark a lifelong love of learning in the most interesting environment possible,” Frese says of being drawn to her local magnet schools. Each school tends to focus on an individual theme, such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), fine and performing arts, world languages or career and technical education. Magnet schools are free public schools that are operated by a particular school district or group of districts. Like most parents, she wanted to set her kid up for the best education possible, and for her, that meant looking beyond his assigned base school to the local magnet programs. When it came time for Heather Frese’s son to register for kindergarten, the Wake County, North Carolina-based mom went into full-on research mode.
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