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A magnet school is a school which offers specialized courses or curricula. The term magnet school is mostly associated with the United States, although other countries have similar types of schools (such as UK specialist schools). The use of the word magnet refers to magnet schools drawing students from across normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools. The school which a student would attend if he were not attending the magnet school is often referred to as the home school (not to be confused with homeschooling) or the base school.

In the United States, where education is decentralized, some magnet schools are established by school districts and draw only from the district, while others (such as Governor's Schools in Virginia) are set up by state governments and may draw from multiple districts.

History

Magnet schools emerged in the United States in the 1960s as a way of dealing with racial segregation in schools. Parents started moving into suburban areas to ensure a certain crowd of students at their child's schools, or pulled their children out of school altogether. As a way to reduce this attempted racial isolation, Voluntary School Desegregation plans were written to curb this phenomenon. The concept of magnet schools was first expounded in 1971 by Dallas, Texas, educator Nolan Estes, then the superintendent of the Dallas Independent School District.^[1]

The Magnet Schools Assistance Program was developed in the early 1980s as a way to further encourage schools to deal with this problem. Funds were given to school districts that implemented either voluntary desegregation plans or court orders to reduce racial isolation.^[2] At first, districts tried implementing involuntary plans which involved court-ordered attendance, the busing of children far from their homes, and closer schools to achieve the required balance. Later, districts started embracing the magnet school models in the hope that their geographically open admissions would end racial segregation in "good" schools, and decrease de facto segregation of schools in poorer areas by offering a more enticing educational program.

To encourage the voluntary desegregation, districts started developing magnet schools to draw students to specialized schools all across their districts. Each magnet school would have a specialized curriculum that would draw students based on their interests. Competitive entrance processes have since been implemented to encourage good grades and behavior from students who wish to be accepted into the school they wish to attend.

Within a few years, in locations such as Richmond, Virginia, additional magnet school programs for children of different special talents were developed at facilities in locations which parents would have otherwise found undesirable. This effort to both attract voluntary enrollment and achieve the desired racial balance met with considerable success, and helped improve acceptance of further distances, hardships with transportation for extracurricular activities, and the separation of siblings. Even as districts such as Richmond were released from desegregation court orders, the parental selection of magnet school programs has continued to contribute to more racially balanced schools than would have otherwise occurred. With a wide range of magnet schools available, a suitable program could be found for more children than only the "bright" ones for whom the earliest efforts were directed.

There are magnet schools at the elementary school, middle school, and high school levels. Some magnet programs are within comprehensive schools, as is the case with several "schools within a school." In large urban areas, several magnet schools with different specializations may be combined into a single "center," such as Skyline High School in Dallas, Texas and Advanced Technologies Academy in Las Vegas, NV.

Enrollment and curricula

Some magnet schools have a competitive entrance process, requiring an entrance examination, interview, or audition. Other magnet schools select all students who apply or use a lottery system, or a system combining some elements of competitive entrance and a lottery.

Most magnet schools concentrate on a particular discipline or area of study, while others (such as International Baccalaureate schools) have a more general focus. Magnet programs may focus on academics (mathematics, natural sciences, and engineering; humanities; social sciences; fine or performing arts) or may focus on technical/vocational/agricultural education.

See also

• Alternative school
• Charter school
• Education reform
• Exceptional education
• Public education
• National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology (NCSSSMST)
• School choice

References

External links

• Magnet Schools of America
• Magnet Schools Assistance - U.S. Department of Education
• Public school Review - What is a Magnet School?