Academic Excellence
Numerous studies have shown that students at magnet schools perform better than their peers at traditional schools.
- One of the few large-scale national studies of magnet schools found that magnet schools were more effective than traditional public schools, Catholic schools, and secular private schools at raising student achievement in reading and social studies.
- According to the latest U.S. News and World Report: High School Rankings, magnet schools make up 25 percent of the top 100 high schools. This speaks volumes considering they represent less than five percent of all public schools.
- In 2016, for the second year in a row, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced that magnet school students significantly outperformed their peers across the state, district, and in charter schools in Math and English/Language Arts assessments.
- Many studies have found that students attending magnet schools have higher graduation rates than students attending traditional public schools.
- According to a 2011 study, magnet students are less likely to be absent or skip class than at non-magnet schools.
- A UCLA study found that magnet school faculties are more stable than non-magnet school faculties, in addition to being more racially diverse.
Public School Choice
No child learns the same; parents should have the option to send their child to a school that focuses on their strengths, engages them, and motivates them to learn.
- A large majority of magnet schools have waitlists full of parents eager to get their students into these high-performing schools. According to a recent Magnet Schools of America national survey, 70 percent of magnet schools report having a waiting list.
- A 2001 study found that magnet schools report higher levels of parent and community involvement than traditional public schools.
School Diversity
Research shows students learn better and are more prepared for the real world when they are exposed to students with different backgrounds.
- According to a 2009 study, magnet students report a greater sense of community at school and perceive more peer support for academic achievement. The study also found that these students also report more positive intergroup relations and less racial tension among peers.
