Contact us All Departments Middle school magnets can be harder to get into If your child is not already in a special elementary program, it becomes a numbers game. For some families, the choices and opportunities offered by zoned middle schools may not meet their child's needs or interests. The schools usually operate as extensions of an elementary program.
Parents also can opt to homeschool their middle-school child.
St. Petersburg's first charter middle school, the Bay Village Center for Education, has been approved by the School Board and is expected to open next year. A proposed charter middle school operated by the city of Oldsmar is pending School Board approval. Parents need to look at their individual family situation and consider all the alternatives. If a parent is interested in a particular program, they can increase a child's comfort level by taking them on a tour of the school. A child's opinion is important, too.