I am wanting to know more about this type of education to know whether (or not) it seems suitable for my children. They are in a private parochial school now.

Pro's and con's anyone?

OR anything you know would help!

Thanks ladies!

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 11:26 am:

In Philadelphia, magnet schools have competitive entry requirements - high grades, good test scores, and depending on the school, samples of the child's work or an audition. Philadelphia has high academic magnet schools, and the High School for Engineering & Science and the High School for the Arts - maybe others, but I don't now.

Two of my sons went to Central, which is one of the academic magnet schools, and on the whole I think the school did very well for them. I have friends who can well afford the most expensive private schools who sent their daughters to the same school, and both girls have done well. I know other people in my church are sending their kids to this school if they qualify.

So much, however, depends on your school district and how they view the magnet school(s) you are looking at - and whether your children meet the criteria. If it were me, I'd call the school district office or check their web site to get more information, and maybe talk to the principal of the magnet school you are thinking about. And see if you know anyone whose kids are going or have gone to the magnet school, to see what they think.

By Mommmie on Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 02:47 pm:

Magnet schools vary in quality here but no matter why they are here, you will only see them in declining school districts.

In one district they are ways to get affluent whites to attend mostly poor minority schools. They call it the science magnet or the theatre magnet or whatever and house it in a poorer school and that attracts the monied white kids (like magnets, haha!) and then the school becomes more balanced and the tests scores look better. They are all volunteer and you just say you want to attend and you are in.

Another magnet in this district was created to mimic private schools (uniforms, Latin, extra homework) to try to keep some of the parents from leaving the public school for private schools (due to the general decline in the public schools). That magnet, however, was really an overflow school (big secret). When the crowded part of the district had too many kids they would send kids to this magnet school as overflow and they were supposed to be okay with it because it was a magnet school. These kids don't mix well with the ones who were sent there because it was like a private school and the school generally is a failure.

Now in another district, the magnets have competitive entrance and it's a big deal to get in. Two of the top 10 schools on Newsweek's top high schools were area magnet schools in this district and they are very difficult to get into. They are more like competitive private schools. The kids are the cream of the crop. The rest of the district is troubled.

So you just have to see how your magnet schools came about. Why are they there? Why aren't the regular schools good enough?