FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC – Magnet Schools of America (MSA) has named 21 Nationally Certified Schools and 25 Nationally Certified-Demonstration Schools, bringing the total number of nationally certified schools across the country to 280. As shining examples of magnet school excellence, these schools offer exceptional learning opportunities, joining a distinguished and growing group of nationally recognized magnet programs.
MSA launched the certification program in 2016 as a comprehensive framework to help magnet schools achieve their highest potential. Schools seeking certification are rigorously evaluated against the Magnet School Standards of Excellence and the five pillars of magnet schools. The application process requires schools to provide detailed evidence of their efforts to promote diversity, eliminate barriers to student success, implement innovative curricula, and foster strong parent and community partnerships. Achieving certification is a challenging process that enhances a school’s strengths and earns them national acclaim for their achievements.
This cohort’s newly certified schools are located across eleven states: Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
The 25 schools that attained Certified-Demonstration status not only met the Standards of Excellence, but exceeded the criteria and will serve as learning models for magnets across the country to replicate. Among the 280 certified schools to date, 128 have been designated as Certified-Demonstration Schools.
“We continue to proudly celebrate our new nationally certified schools,” said Kelly Bucherie, Director of Leadership and Program Development at Magnet Schools of America. “Each of these schools showed what’s possible when faculty, parents, students, and communities come together to do what it takes to deliver a high-quality education for all students. School teams worked tirelessly to meet the Standards of Excellence while promoting diversity and innovative curriculums in the classroom and fostering high-quality learning environments for their students. We are thrilled to see their hard work and commitment to excellence recognized.”
For more information about Magnet Schools of America’s Certification Program, visit: https://magnet.edu/leadership-institute/certification/
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Media Contact: Jennifer McNally, Marketing & Communications Director
Magnet Schools of America (MSA) is a nonprofit education association that represents more than 4,340 magnet schools serving nearly 3.5 million students across 46 states and the District of Columbia. MSA was founded in 1986 and authorized as a 501(c)3 in 1994. It supports and serves the leaders and teachers of magnet and theme-based schools, while promoting the development of new magnet programs.
2024 Nationally Certified-Demonstration Schools
| School Name | State | Region | District |
| Drachman Montessori K-8 Magnet School | AZ | 2 | Tucson Unified School District |
| Hammocks Academy of Legal Studies | FL | 3 | Miami-Dade County Public Schools |
| Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School – iPrep, Legal Studies, and Digital Media Technology & Entrepreneurship | FL | 3 | Miami-Dade County Public Schools |
| Miami Lakes Educational Center | FL | 3 | Miami-Dade County Public Schools |
| Young Men’s Preparatory Academy | FL | 3 | Miami-Dade County Public Schools |
| Johnson STEAM Academy | IA | 6 | Cedar Rapids Community School District |
| Mayfair Lab School | LA | 5 | East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools |
| Carroll Leadership In Technology Magnet Middle School | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Fox Road IB PYP Magnet Elementary School | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Green Leadership and World Languages Magnet Elementary School | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Kingswood Montessori STEM Magnet Elementary School | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| North Wake College and Career Academy | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Oberlin Magnet Middle School | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Reedy Creek Magnet Middle School Center for the Digital Sciences | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Underwood Elementary School | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Vernon Malone College and Career Academy | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Wake Early College of Health and Sciences | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Washington Gifted and Talented Magnet Elementary School | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| West Millbrook Magnet Middle School International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Zebulon Gifted and Talented Magnet Elementary School | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| San Antonito STEM Magnet | NM | 5 | Albuquerque Public Schools |
| eCademy Virtual High School | NM | 5 | Albuquerque Public Schools |
| MS 358 – STEAM Exploration & Experiential Learning | NY | 1 | New York Community School District 28 |
| Forest Lake Elementary NASA Explorer School/Elementary Learning Collaborative | SC | 4 | Richland School District Two |
| Grantham Academy for Engineering | TX | 5 | Aldine Independent School District |
2024 Nationally Certified Magnet Schools
| School Name | State | Region | District |
| W.J. Bryan Elementary School/Museums Magnet Program | FL | 3 | Miami-Dade County Public Schools |
| Unidos Dual Language School | GA | 3 | Clayton County Public Schools |
| Farnsley Middle School | KY | 4 | Jefferson County Public Schools |
| Hawthorne Spanish Immersion Magnet School | KY | 4 | Jefferson County Public Schools |
| J. Graham Brown School | KY | 4 | Jefferson County Public Schools |
| Noe Middle School – Gifted & Talented | KY | 4 | Jefferson County Public Schools |
| W.E.B. DuBois Academy | KY | 4 | Jefferson County Public Schools |
| Westport Middle School Montessori Magnet Program | KY | 4 | Jefferson County Public Schools |
| Sherwood Middle Academic Magnet | LA | 5 | East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools |
| Southeast Middle School | LA | 5 | East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools |
| Woodlawn High School | LA | 5 | East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools |
| JM Alexander Middle School | NC | 4 | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools |
| Fuller Gifted & Talented Magnet Elementary | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Leroy Martin GT Magnet Middle School | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Lincoln Heights Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| Wake Young Men’s Leadership Academy | NC | 4 | Wake County Public Schools |
| College and Career High School | NM | 5 | Albuquerque Public Schools |
| MS 50 Magnet School for Debate and Youth Leadership | NY | 1 | New York Community School District 14 |
| Pontiac Elementary School/Montessori Magnet | SC | 4 | Richland School District Two |
| Sandlapper Elementary Computer Science Immersion School | SC | 4 | Richland School District Two |
| Versa V. Reece Academy | TX | 5 | Aldine Independent School District |
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.
