Getting Started with Magnet Programs
Magnet Programs Demystified is the sixth and final part of the series How to LAUSD:The Complete Guide to LAUSD School Selection.
This final chapter covers Magnet programs which often get a bad reputation for being difficult to understand and hard to get into. By the time you finish this post, however, you’ll know how Magnets work and what steps to take to increase the chances of getting into the Magnet of your choice.
As a first step, here are a few things that are especially important to know about Magnet programs:
Magnet Programs 101
Interested in applying to Magnet programs? It’s important to note that unlike many other free public education programs Magnets require special attention to detail and careful planning.
Only have a minute or two to learn about them? Here are five facts you should know:
Magnet programs also have a unique history. Read more about it in the next section:
Magnet Programs: Overview
Established in 1977, Magnets in California are court-mandated voluntary K-12 integration programs.
Currently, there are over 300 Magnets programs in LA Unified with more added each year. While some magnets occupy entire school sites, others are located within residential school campuses.
The main goals of the Magnet programs are to:
“…address the Five Harms of Racial Isolation: Low Academic Achievement, Low Self-Esteem, Lack of Access to Post-Secondary Opportunities, Interracial Hostility and Intolerance and Overcrowded Conditions.”
Unified Enrollment, Magnet Home Page
As such, Magnet programs are designed to eliminate barriers to entry for students who still suffer from the Five Harms of Racial Isolation.
The next section – Magnet Program: Benefits will highlight just how Magnets go about eliminating these barriers.
Magnet Programs: Benefits
Magnet programs offer a host of benefits that have made them popular with many families. These include:
I. Promote equality & diversity
Magnet programs have successfully encouraged families from across the city to enroll by using a number of incentives. These include engaging programming, transportation, and prioritizing the enrollment of students from underserved communities. This in turn has helped desegregate public education and has created enticingly and culturally diverse classrooms.
ll. Offer thematic instruction and personalized learning
As their name implies, Magnets draw students to their programs from across many school zones. They do so by using the following tools:
- Implementing Multi-dimensional instruction that addresses all subject areas through the school’s unique instructional theme (while still being aligned with local, state, and national Standards).
- Utilizing a hands-on, individualized, and inquiry-based learning approach (such as the Montessori Method).
- Offering thematic instruction in one of the eight instructional themes listed below:
lll. Increase family and staff buy-in
Magnets attract parents, students, and staff who are drawn by the mission, theme, and teaching methods offered by a specific Magnet. This common interest in turn increases program buy-in and engagement.
IV. Offer the stability of public schools with some flexibility
Unlike charter or private schools, a Magnet school is part of the LAUSD school system. This means that LA Unified has more control over hiring and firing, budget, and other school operations. On the other hand, school themes and unique learning approaches give them more freedom compared to some traditional neighborhood schools.
V. Provide transportation in some cases
Magnets offer transportation as yet another way to reduce the Five Harms of Racial Isolation. This makes Magnet programs unique and accessible to populations who might not have otherwise applied.
Transportation is however not guaranteed. It is available to some Magnet programs in some but not all cases. Read more about transportation eligibility in the Transportation section of the e-Choices website.
Want to know if there are any Magnet programs in your area? Search for Magnet programs by alphabetical order or by utilizing the e-Choices Magnet map.
Magnet Programs: Drawbacks
While Magnet programs have many benefits, they do have some drawbacks as well:
l. Requires understanding of a unique point system
Every Magnet applicant is allocated a specific number of Magnet points based on various factors. Through acceptance or rejection from a Magnet program, applicants can add or lose points as well.
The more points an applicant has the better their chances of being accepted into a specific program. Read more about this point system in the Application Process section.
II. May lack that neighborhood school feel
Magnet campuses may have a different feel from a typical neighborhood school. Parents might be less likely to volunteer if they live far away and kids might find it harder to plan after-school playdates. There are however Magnet programs located within local schools that may be less impacted.
llI. Competition can be high
Many popular Magnet programs have limited space and a large pool of applicants. One or two Kindergarten classrooms can attract hundreds of families per year.
lV. There is a limit on the number of applications
Applicants may only apply for three Magnet programs.
Not only that, in many cases it is inadvisable to apply to more than one Magnet program during the On Time Application window. Read why in the Magnet Programs: Application Process section.
If you like the sound of Magnet programs it’s time to discuss program eligibility.
Magnet Programs: Eligibility
These are the basic criteria for Magnet program eligibility:
- All LA Unified students (K-12), including English learners, students with disabilities, and gifted/talented individuals are eligible to apply.
- Applicants must be residents of LA Unified during the application process and while attending the magnet program. PO boxes are not permitted.
- Full school Magnets give priority to students residing in their attendance zone and allow them to apply throughout the year.
- Residents from outside Los Angeles Unified boundary are excluded from applying.
- Eligible applicants will be admitted to most Magnets based on a Priority Point System.
- The Gifted or Highly Gifted Magnet Programs require that applicants meet these eligibility criteria as well.
Next, learn just how this Priority Point System works:
Magnet Programs: the Priority Point System
In order to apply to a Magnet program, it’s important to understand how this Priority Point System works. If you don’t you could be faced with one of the following scenarios:
- Lose Matriculation points needed for applying to middle or high school Magnets.
- Accept an offer for a less desirable Magnet due to applying to multiple programs.
- Get removed automatically from a current Magnet program due to applying and being accepted to another Magnet.
As a first step to understanding the Priority Point System, use this 5 Ways to Assign Magnet Points infographic created by LAUSD:
Next, watch this Magnet 101 video on the LAUSD Magnets YouTube Channel. Minute 1:45 and onward covers the priority points systems and share examples of what the application process might look:
Now that you understand the Priority Point System, you are ready for the application process itself:
Magnet Programs: Application Process
General Application Process
Here are the basic steps for applying to a Magnet program:
Magnet Programs 4-step application process
*Applicants who neglect to fill out any part of the application form (such as race and ethnicity) will have their application rejected and no Waitlist points will be granted
**These applicants must be identified by school staff, submit eligibility paperwork, be verified on e-Choices, and submit an on-time application
In addition to these general guidelines, there are also a few specific guidelines to keep in mind:
Specific Application Guidelines
The notes below are important reminders regarding the application process. They will help you get admitted into a desired Magnet program and prevent program rejections due to misunderstanding program guidelines:
I. Single applications increase the chances of acceptance
Applicants can apply to between one and three Magnet Programs but are not required to fill out a second and third choice. Applying to only one Magnet program will increase the chances of being accepted into it.
If an applicant applies to multiple programs but is not accepted into any Magnet program, they will be placed on the waiting list for their first choice only.
ll. Applying to a Magnet while attending a Magnet is very risky
III. Applicants must show up for the first week of school
Read more about Magnet program guidelines and eligibility on the Magnet Home page on e-Choices.
Additional Resources
Use the following links on e-Choices to learn more about specific aspects of Magnet programs:
- Search for Magnet Program by alphabetical order or by utilizing the e-Choices Magnet map.
- Use the Choices School Index to see the grade level availability for each Magnet Program.
- Use the Near School page on e-choices to locate bus stops leading to your Magnet of choice that may be within the eligibility radius or reach out to the Transportation Services Division at (213) 580-2900.
- Contact the Choices Support Line at (213) 241-4177 or eChoices@lausd.net with specific questions relating to Magnet programs.
Find Your Support System
If you made it through this guide you are most likely a busy and dedicated parent like myself. And as hard as we may try to do it all for our families, this journey can feel lonely and isolating. Want to learn how to build your local support system and lighten your mental load? Read Build Your LA Mom Village With One Simple Change to get started.
Questions or corrections? e-mail them to maketimeformomblog@gmail.com
*All the information shared here was accurate, to the best of my knowledge, at the time of writing this guide. However, information gets updated frequently and guidelines change. The MakeTimeForMom is not responsible for actions taken as a result of information shared in this guide. Please visit LAUSD e-choices for the most up-to-date information available for school selection in the Los Angeles Unified School District.