Each year, about 1,200 students apply to attend the magnet schools or a school away from their neighborhood. At the secondary level, about 560 children a year apply to attend a middle school or high school other than their designated school. In response to the popularity of the magnet schools, the neighborhood elementary schools also have developed special themes or program focuses. The themes include a year-round school, an academy focus with school uniforms, Latin grammar, nature studies, Spanish immersion, entrepreneurship, international studies and several other topics. The goal is for each school to have a distinctive personality and focus, while still providing basic curriculum.
Administrators say the magnet approach and school choice have created healthy competition.
An urban district runs the risk of sometimes being complacent. If your choices aren't competitive, you are going to lose kids. The magnet schools receive extra money each year to support their specialized programs. If we didn't put that money into magnet schools, within a very short time we would no longer have the integration that we have. Buses and buildings Transporting children in a system with magnet schools and choice is complicated.