Magnet high schools are public high schools that offer specialized courses, often designed around a theme. Any student in the designated region can attend, which causes most magnet schools to use a lottery system to accept applicants. Some magnet schools use an application process that involves test scores and GPAs. The following are the nation's best magnet schools, as calculated by U.S. News.
Charter and magnet schools are well represented in the top tier of the U.S. News Best High Schools rankings. Both models – when compared with the long history of traditional public schools – are relatively new. Magnet schools came into existence in the late 1960s as districts looked to encourage voluntary desegregation by attracting diverse groups to enroll around specific academic specialties. Charter schools followed in the early 1990s, with the stated goal to be more flexible and innovative than traditional counterparts.
Three magnet schools received a U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School recognition: Eagle Rock Elementary School, Los Angeles, California; Marine and Science Technology Academy (MAST) Academy in Miami, Florida; and Dutch Fork Elementary School, Irmo, South Carolina.
East Career and Technical Academy received the top merit award this year from Magnet Schools of America - the No. 1 honor among the association's many awards. At East, students can choose from eight programs of study ranging from early childhood education to mechanical technology. The students know they're in a special place. "I feel like with them expecting a lot from us, it kind of pushes us toward better," said marketing program junior Aurora Osuna.
New London is the state's only full magnet district. Parents and students can choose themes like STEM - science, technology, engineering, mathematics, language and culture. Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School is project-based learning. For one project, students worked on an opera, where kids wrote, produced, acted, sang and did everything in between!
"The research shows that it leads to better cognitive function for kids so they're going to have better results, academically," Kamin said. "It's also going to help with behavioral issues in the classroom, because if kids are able to move, they're not going to have so much excess energy. They're going to be able to focus, and it's going to solve a lot of the sort of interpersonal issues that come up with kids as well, because they're going to have an opportunity to get that energy out."
Sitting in the back of the classroom, Hermes Velasquez was a quiet student. He had stage fright and was embarrassed to stand up in front of other students at an award-winning magnet school for the performing arts south of Miami. But slowly, with the help of his teacher, Adalberto Acevedo, and the school's family-like culture, Velasquez overcame his stage fright. To get over his fear, he familiarized himself with the stage by helping to put props out. Then he started acting in supporting roles.
A Wake County school and one of the district's teachers have been named the best in the United States by the nation's leading magnet school organization. Farmington Woods Elementary School in Cary received Magnet School of America's Elementary Magnet School of Merit Award, given annually to the nation's top elementary magnet school. The organization also named April Guenzler, a kindergarten teacher at Brooks Elementary School in Raleigh, as its 2018 National Teacher of the Year.
At Morris Intermediate School (I.S. 61) in Brighton Heights, the performing arts take center stage.Three-quarters of the 965 students are arts majors, devoting one period of instruction each day to choices including band, strings, orchestra, vocals, dance and drama. "Children need more than academics and the core curriculum" for a successful intermediate-school experience, says Susan Tronolone, finishing her seventh year as Morris principal.
Nadia Wolff, a sophomore participating in the dual degree program at Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design, balances majors in both textile design and literary arts. After attending an art magnet school in Miami for high school, Wolff was selected to be a recipient of the prestigious Presidential Scholar in the Arts award, allowing her to continue to focus on her passion and futur
Raise the level of performance consistent throughout school districts nationwide and creates a platform from which all magnet schools can flourish. Magnet Schools of America’s national certification process is designed to recognize the hard work of the best magnet schools in the nation and to help them as they grow.
