What is a Magnet School?
Magnet schools are specialized schools that are part of the US public school system. These schools are termed “magnets” because they attract students from outside of a particular school zone to become part of the specialized curriculum the school provides. In the public school system, usually what happens is that students enroll to a nearby school or at least within their “zone”. It is quite uncommon for somebody to enroll in schools outside of his/her own zone. But with the offering of a different and a more specialized curriculum, magnet schools are able to break the norms in terms of student enrolments. Students from various zones may enroll as long as they meet the requirements of a particular magnet school. Parents are also attracted to these types of schools because of the specialized programs. The tendency is that more bright students are attracted to the specialized curriculum on magnet schools as compared to the generic programs offered by standard public schools.

Because of this curriculum-specializing concept, magnet schools are able to attract a diverse population of students. Magnet schools also have their own sets of instructions and are said to have stricter guidelines and higher standards. These qualities have made them the most sough-after schools by both parents and students. Specialized curricula of these schools may range from math or science-based programs to performing arts courses. Levels of academic achievement are said to be higher in magnet schools.

But not all is happy with the specialized system of magnet schools. Many dislike the idea that bright students are taken away from their own school zones and that these specialized schools take away some needed resources for the general public school system since they get extra funding from the government. Others also disagree that some students who are considered deserving of a spot in the magnet school system may be left out by the selection process.