The deadline to apply for Miami-Dade magnet school programs is approaching. Here’s what to do
Miami-Dade County Public Schools is hosting a series of webinars next week for parents to learn more about the district’s magnet programs.
Parents have an opportunity to attend the webinars — available in English, Creole and Spanish on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, respectively — twice a day, at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Interested parents should register for the sessions online through the district’s Parent Academy.
The window to apply to attend a magnet school in the 2024-25 school year runs through Jan. 15.
What is a magnet program?
Miami-Dade schools first launched its choice programs in 1954, with Henry S. West Laboratory School at the School of Education at the University of Miami, and in the years that followed, it continued to expand on its offerings.
Nearly a decade after Henry S. West opened, the district implemented a dual-language program at Coral Way Elementary School. And another decade later, it opened its first magnet program, the Expressive Arts center Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School. Since then, the district’s offerings have expanded to include more than 1,000 choice programs. About 370 of those are magnet programs.
According to School Board policy, there are four types of magnet programs: a magnet school that enrolls students from across the district; a magnet school for students zoned for that school; a magnet program within a school that serves students enrolled in the specific as well as the traditional program; and a magnet program that serves students from across the district virtually.
The types of programs offered included STEM, liberal arts, visual and performing arts or international magnet programs.
How to apply
Interested students or families should submit an application to the program they’re interested in. Each student can apply to up to five programs at five different schools, but only one program per school.
Applications are submitted through the MDCPS Parent Portal and families are responsible for completing the application and all the necessary documentation — or, in some cases, scheduling an audition, submitting a portfolio or testing appointment required by certain programs — by Jan. 15.
The deadline for auditions and testing, which are required for performing arts or language programs, is Feb. 29.
What’s next?
Once the application period ends, eligible students who submitted an application will be included in the lottery selection process. If selected, the student must accept the offer by March 29. The offer will be forfeited if it’s not accepted by the deadline.
Students who are waitlisted could still be accepted to their program of choice if a seat becomes available. If a seat does not open up, though, or if a student is not accepted, they will have to attend the traditional public school they are zoned for.
Things to remember
Those considering applying for a magnet program should be aware of certain requirements. Among them include a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA) and no more than 10 unexcused absences during the previous school year and just 5 for the current year.
Some programs also have prerequisite courses that must be completed by the start of the school year, like Honors Algebra I and Honors Physical Science. (Proof of course completion or enrollment is also required by Jan. 15.) If a student isn’t enrolled in these courses, they can still apply but they have to sign up to take them over the summer.
For a full list of eligibility requirements, visit the district’s resource page.
According to school board policy, transportation services are not required for each magnet program and vary depending on a child’s eligibility and need. Nevertheless, all magnet school students in the district qualify for an EASY Card.
For all other information, visit the district’s School Choice and Parental Options page.
