The academic pull of a magnet school
Choosing and applying to the themed campuses can be confusing.
The stakes are high for families across Los Angeles later this fall. Applications are being accepted for a spot in one of 210 magnet programs in L.A. public schools; the deadline is Nov. 13.
Choosing and applying to magnet schools can be confusing. Experts and parents help explain L.A. Unified’s magnet process.
What is a magnet school?
A magnet is a themed school within LAUSD that is open to all students, regardless of neighborhood. Some are within a larger campus, and some are free-standing campuses. Schools have different themes, including performing arts, science and math, and those aimed at gifted students.
L.A.’s magnet program was created in the 1970s as part of a court-ordered desegregation plan intended to increase racial equality in schools.
How do I apply?
Fill out the magnet schools application by Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. The application brochure is available online at the district’s website, as well as in schools and public libraries. Parents can select up to three schools.
If you really want one program, it might be best to leave the other two blank. You’ll first be entered into the lottery for your top choice. If you’re not picked, you’ll be entered for your second, and then third, choice. If you are accepted into any of them, you will not be placed on the wait list for your first choice.
Students with the most points get picked first.
How do I get points?
If your child does not attend a magnet school but you have applied previously, students can earn four points for every year that they are on the wait list, up to three years. That equals 12 matriculation points. Some parents have gamed the system by applying every year to the most popular magnets to reduce their chances of being picked, so that they can collect a high number of points in time for middle school or high school. This is a dicey game to play — if you get into a magnet and decline to attend, all those points disappear.
Students also receive four points for living in the neighborhood boundaries of an overcrowded school, and another four points for living in the neighborhood boundaries of a “predominantly Hispanic, black, Asian and other non-Anglo” (PHBAO) school. The latter applies to most schools in the district.
Tack on another three points if a sibling already attends the magnet school to which the student is applying.
Students already in a magnet school receive an automatic 12 points when they matriculate to the next campus.
How do I choose a magnet to apply to?
Parents can apply to any magnet in the district. The best way to choose a magnet is to see if the school’s theme aligns with the student’s interests and to visit the campus. Know that themed magnets can also be strong in other areas — for example, a student interested in science or math could attend a humanities magnet that also offers high-level math and science courses.
There are magnet fairs throughout the district, and parents can call magnet schools to set up tours.
What are gifted and talented programs?
Gifted and talented programs are intended for students who excel or show promise academically or in the arts. Nearly 50 of the district’s magnets are gifted and highly gifted programs. Admission to these programs requires further tests or auditions.
Students can be classified as academically gifted or high-ability through confirmation from the principal, an LAUSD psychologist, or a score in the 85th percentile or higher on standardized tests that the district approves. Students can be classified as highly gifted if they score 99.5% to 99.9% on the district’s intellectual assessment. Students who score 99.9% are given priority.
Why is race required on the application?
A primary goal of magnet schools is to achieve balance between white students and students of color. About a fourth of the schools are required to give either 30% or 40% of spots to white students, and 70% or 60% to students of all other races. This system is a remnant of the program’s founding, during which the goal was to draw white students into minority schools, and vice versa.
Is there transportation to magnet schools?
Yes. If a student lives outside a two-mile radius for elementary school and outside a five-mile radius for secondary school, the district provides busing to those schools.
Should I apply even if it appears there aren’t that many spaces?
Yes, always apply if you want to go to the school. Many schools dip deep into their waiting lists, as there are many reasons that parents would drop off the list. Some schools get to the end of their waiting lists.
What is different about a magnet versus a charter or regular LAUSD school?
Neighborhood schools fill up by first offering priority to area residents, and then opening the waiting list to other students on a first-come, first-served basis.
Charter schools also use lotteries for admissions, but each charter school has its own application process and waiting list. Lotteries for magnet schools, meanwhile, are conducted centrally through the district.
The differences in quality vary from school to school. Parents can compare test scores on the L.A. Times website. The best way to know which is a good fit for your child is to visit the schools and talk to parents and students about their experiences.
Sources: Keith Abrahams, LAUSD executive director of Student Integration Services; Tanya Anton, founder/creator of Go Mama Guide; Ellana Selig, magnet coordinator at Los Angeles Center For Enriched Studies; Susan Yoon, Cleveland Humanities Magnet Parents Assn. president; http://echoices.lausd.net/http://echoices.lausd.net/