Top 5 FAQ’s Regarding Magnet Schools
1) Does my child have to test gifted to get into a magnet school? Unless it’s a gifted magnet school (which the majority of LAUSD magnets schools are NOT), no.
2) I heard magnet school admittance is based on points–how do you get points?
- 4 points if your home LAUSD school is PHBAO (Predominantly Hispanic, Black, Asian or Other)
- 4 points if your home LAUSD school is overcrowded (aka: Three-Track, getting more and more rare)
- 4 points for each year on the waiting list (aka: you apply to a magnet school and are denied, for up to three years, 12 possible)
- 3 points if a sibling is already attending the magnet school applied for
3) How and where do we apply? Is it complicated? Typically, the CHOICES brochure (which contains both the catalogue of LAUSD magnet schools and the one-page magnet application) becomes available the first week of December at the LAUSD central offices downtown (333 S. Beaudry), local LAUSD schools and LA County public libraries. Applications must be postmarked by the January 2009 deadline (usually around Jan. 20).
Office of Student Integrated Services (Magnet Schools): (213) 241 4177. LAUSD website is lausd.net. Useful keywords for unearthing magnet school information are going to be OFFICES, STUDENT INTEGRATION SERVICES, PARENTS AND GUARDIANS.
4) What’s the difference between magnet and charter schools? For your intents and purposes, the simple answer is that LAUSD magnet schools have that firm December-January application window and the points are calculated by computer downtown. Charter school application processes vary from school to school, and are somewhat more fluid. For more charter school information, visit myschool.org (formerly charterassociation.org)
5) Is it true that my child has to get into a magnet or charter school in order to have any art whatsoever? No. Many LAUSD schools also have SAS (Schools for Advanced Studies) programs. Even regular neighborhood LAUSD schools have arts and enrichment programs–we recommend you begin your school search with an in-person visit. To find your home LAUSD school, go to lausd.net, FAMILIES button (bottom), SCHOOL FINDER
73 Responses to "Top 5 FAQ’s Regarding Magnet Schools"
September 2, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Dear Akhan,
Unfortunately those extra four (4) magnet points for Overcrowding are typically only awarded to schools that, weirdly enough, have THREE tracks rather than four. The magnet system is weird that way.
It looks like White House Place Primary is similar to Kindergarten Learning Academy in Van Nuys (a K only school, a high poor, Hispanic, English learner demographic, but a lovely place to visit, with some nice parent comments).
That said, you will have first magnet, then charter, then open enrollment (Spring 2009) options, reading around over this blog should give you a feel for the territory, and also some other links to look at.
Best,
Sandra
September 3, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Thanks Sandra! White House Place is PreK-K. It’s very crowded and in makeshift-style classrooms (corrugated roofing etc). Hopefully by next year I’ll have a clearer idea of my options (though I am already leaning toward Larchmont Charter, but they have a lottery system).
September 18, 2008 at 5:01 am
It seems like not all elementary magnets start in kindergarden. (Wonderland) I’ve heard that I should apply to get in a magnet and hopefully get rejected to get my rejection points ready for 1st grade. Do I have to attend public school kindergarden to keep/get my points?
September 18, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Hi Suzanne!
You’ve heard right. There are only a few magnets that accept kindergarteners, and the odds are in your favor your child won’t be accepted. You can then go to any public/private/homeschool situation and keep your points for the next year.
Just hope and pray you don’t get accepted by your school of “choice.” You will have to attend there or you will lose the points you’ve stockpiled.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes!
October 29, 2008 at 4:09 am
Our local school (Eagle Rock Elementary) where our daughter attends first grade, has not one, but 3 “magnets” in the “gifted” category: “gifted” (local residents only), “gifted magnet” (anyone in LAUSD may apply), and “highly gifted” (anyone in LAUSD may apply). The magnet coordinator at the school speaks in the kind of double-speak I have only heard in Dilbert cartoons, and when I ask her questions, I want to bang my head against the wall in frustration (have discovered many parents feel this way). What I’m trying to figure out is whether applying to both the local AND magnet gifted programs simultaneously (assuming my daughter tests/is identified as “gifted”) reduces her chances of getting into either. Thanks for any light you can shed on this question. –Shannon
November 9, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Shannon – I hear your frustration – some coordinators are new to the position and are still trying to figure it out themselves while others obfuscate deliberately; I can only hope that yours is the former.
I believe Eagle Rock El has only TWO magnets – both for students in grades 3-6. You mention the gifted and highly gifted (HG) magnets and a 3rd magnet – what I believe you are referring to is that there are students who attend the school that are not enrolled in either of the magnet centers on campus but have otherwise been identified gifted (GATE).
The CHOICES brochure (which you will receive in the mail shortly) will go into more detail; anyone living within the LAUSD boundaries may apply to send their child to a magnet but students applying to the gifted and highly gifted magnets must first have been identified by the District as “gifted/high ability” or “highly gifted” and as others have mentioned elswhere, identification may occur in second (or more likely, third) grade although LAUSD is doing an inadequate job in addressing this need.
Ask the gifted coordinator at your school about the program for non-magnet students. Applying to the gifted or highly gifted magnet is a separate issue from whether identified GATE students in the rest of school are having their needs met.
Bill Ring
Candidate, Los Angeles City Board of Education, District #4
Organizer, Local District 3 Parent Community Advisory Council
Director, TransParent
November 12, 2008 at 6:01 am
This is a GREAT website, thank you for doing it! Just some minor points:
the CHOICES brochure has now been mailed to homes and should be in school offices inthe next couple of weeks.
The Siblings points award is 3 points (not 2)…
IN response to the Shannon’s question above: Applying to Magnets has no bearing whatsoever on applying to a gifted (or Honors or SAS, as they are sometimes called) program. You can do both, and get your child a great education in public school. Indeed, my daughter was accepted into an SAS program (School for Advanced Studies) at Millikan Middle School without being formally tested gifted. Ask the schools about what they offer, it can be surprising how many special programs there are.
Also, one MAJOR difference between a magnet and other programs is free transportation. This can really make a difference if your neighborhood school is not one you would choose for your child.
November 18, 2008 at 8:43 pm
PS: Thanks Susan, for the sibling points (typo–doh!) correction. How wonderfully Wikipedia-esque!
December 3, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Hello
Regarding the points, how many points are required to be considered for a magnet? For example, if I have 12 points accumulated, what are the chances that my child will be considered for the magnet program of his or her choice?
Thanks,
Vicki
December 4, 2008 at 6:13 am
It completely depends on the magnet itself. Some magnets, such as Granada Hills High School are notorious for needing 23 for a lock and 20 can be iffy, and some magnets, 4 will get you in. In addition, the exact number can be different by race. When you go on the tour, it’s a perfectly acceptable question to ask, since it really should be a factor in the school you choose to apply to.
December 10, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Thank you for all your information, it is awesome….I have a question. I would like to apply to a MAGNET for my son (LACES) that is 6-12. I am really thinking ahead, as next fall he will be entering Kindergarten. I dont understand if I just go ahead and apply to a magnet that’s k-5, hoping he doesn’t get in so we can start accumulating points? And what if he does end up getting in that K-5 school and we turn them down?
December 10, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Hi Sarah,
While I love people who think ahead, you’re off the hook for a few years if you love where your son is now. Wait list points term off after three years, so applying in kindergarten and first grade would be wasted, and could conceivably get you in somewhere in third or fourth and you’d lose your points if you refused the magnet slot. Start applying when he is in second, and he’ll have wait list points in 3rd, 4th, and 5th when you need them.
In the meantime, if you want to commiserate with other very ready moms (and dads) make sure to come visit the Magnets and Martinis this Sunday at the Largo at the Coronet.
December 16, 2008 at 3:25 am
I applied for one magnet school last year. This year I want to apply to another magnet school. Do I keep my 4 pts for being in waiting list to make them 8, or do I start with 4 pts if I end up in waiting list again because it’s a different school?
How does it work? How do schools come up with a formula of what percentage should be white? african american? asian? hispanic or other? How can one know what our chances are when we look at their ethnic population?
December 16, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Hi Doris! When you apply this year, you will have four points for being rejected last year (and if you applied previously, then you’d have eight this year). They don’t automatically assume you’ll be rejected (they actually do want you to get in), so rejection points don’t appear until the next year.
And wait list points are specific to a certain school. If you chose Swanky Magnet last year, and this year you want to apply to Bohemian Magnet, you’re free to do so. The success of getting in truly depends on finding a magnet that will accept your grade level with the amount of points you have–so have a chat with the magnet coordinator where you’re applying and ask how many points it typically takes to get in.
The district predetermines if it wants a 60-40 or 70-30 split with the larger number being the entire population of minority and the smaller being the white. Again, magnet coordinators can tell you their split, and how many points it took to get for minority or white.
Good luck!
December 29, 2008 at 3:48 pm
We applied to a Junior High Magnet for our son who will be going to Junior High next year.We have 12 points,what are our chances?
December 29, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Hi Maribel,
It’s going to depend on several factors including the magnet you chose. how many applied to get in this year, and how the applicants break down ethnicity-wise.
Did you go on the tour in December and talk to the Magnet coordinator where you applied?
January 2, 2009 at 2:26 am
My son is 6 and in first grade (2008-2009 yr) His school, which we are very happy with is a new charter and may go through 6th or 8th grade (the school is slowly growing). When should I start applying for magnet points for lets say, 7th grade? (assuming he would be at his current school through 6th) Do most magnets take 12 points and would I start applying when he is in the middle of 4th grade (by Jan of 2012?) Would I be applying to hard-to-get into public schools so that I would be rejected and gain points?
I have been applying since he was in Kindergarten and as of now I have 8 points, if I apply again by Jan 9 of 2009 I may accrue 12 points, but they would be of no use since we are now in an elementary school we are happy with. If I stop applying will I lose these 8 points? And again should I just start applying again when he is in his fourth year to gain points for 7th grade, or do most middle schools start in 6th grade and also, is accumulating 12 points enough? I hope this all makes sense. Thank you.
January 2, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Wait list appoints accrue and term off in a three-year cycle. So if you have 8 points this year, and 12 next, you’ll never get more than 12 because the earliest four points on the report will fall off to make room for the most recent year’s points.
So, if you stop applying, you’d eventually lose the 12 (or 
points you now have if you were to wait to middle school. You could keep applying to keep your options open, but the chances of getting a spot goes the more times you play the system.
Since most middle school spots are for 6th grade, you will have to consider that in your plans as well. The good news is that you’re at a school that might expand, and you’re early enough to keep all your options open.
Whether 12 points is enough will depend on the magnet you’re interested in. Some magnets require 20 to be a “lock” and others 16 will get you in. For twelve points to be a lock in junior high will require a bit of sleuthing on your part to find a magnet that is great for your son but doesn’t quite have the name buzz that a Nobel or a Porter has. In the next few years (maybe when your son is in 4th) hit a couple of potential magnet tours in the late fall, or go to their open houses in the spring. It will cut your work down considerably in 5th grade (if you end up looking at sixth grade magnets).
Good luck!
January 5, 2009 at 5:03 am
Been hunting and pecking all over this AMAZING website, but haven’t found this information here or on the echoices site – at what age am I able to start applying for my kids for magnet schools beginning in Kindergarten? My twins won’t turn 5 until August 2010, so does that mean I start applying next year? Or am I able to apply this coming year with a likely rejection, but if they get in prepare to start them early?
January 5, 2009 at 7:33 am
Hi Liz.
If your kids aren’t 5 until 2010, you need to wait until *next* January to start applying. State of California requires a child be 5 by Dec., so your applications would be rejected. You can apply next January for a spot in September 2010 because they’d be 5 before that December.
So enjoy another year of just being mom, and let them be preschool age for another year. If you’re really chomping at the bit, start looking at open houses this spring.
Good luck!
January 5, 2009 at 8:57 pm
to Angel,
I am replying to the answer you posted to my comment on January 2.
!) If a person can never get more than 12 points, how to you get the necessary 16 or 20 points needed for some of the magnet schools?
2) What do you mean by “the chances of a spot goes the more times you play the system”?– Since we are in a start-up charter school I feel I need to keep my options open by continuing to play the CHOICES lottery, however my hope is that the school will succeed and that we stay there until 6th grade! I don’t want to ruin my chance of getting 12 points later on for middle school, not quite sure what to do?
3) The points that I have been gaining, and may continue to gain, are only from applying to a hard-to-get into school that goes up to 5th grade. Obviously, I can’t start applying to middle school until my son would be ready to attend. So, will my points that I accrue by applying to elementary schools which we don’t get into, be the same points that can be used for a middle school magnet when the time comes?
thanks again for your advise
January 6, 2009 at 9:13 am
Lauren,
12 points come from wait list or matriculation. 4 points come from your neighborhood school being a PHBAO school–predominantly Hispanic, Black, Asian or other. 4 points come from being overcrowded by LAUSD’s definition–usually a three-track Concept 6 calendar. 3 additional points are possible for students with a sibling attending the same school the student is applying to (who will still be there in September when the applicant arrives). That allows a potential for 23 points per year. Believe it or not, there are magnets that require 20-23 to be a “lock” to get in.
Sorry, typo, goes UP. Every year you apply, you can conceivably get in. If you get accepted, you take the spot, or you lose ALL the points you’ve accrued in waiting.
Remember, there are a few kids who get in to a particular magnet each year, even in the grades with only 1 or 2 spots. While you can play the odds, there’s always a chance in third or fourth grade he’d get into a magnet because he got “lucky.” Unless you can get a school to tell you on the record they will not accept any students in your son’s grade, there’s always a possibility, however remote, that your son will get in.
Hope this helps!
January 6, 2009 at 7:29 pm
My son will start 6th grade in 2013-2014 (he is currently in 1st). If I were to start fresh to try and accumulate points for a 6th grade magnet school when would I start filling out the Choices catalogue? Do I fill it out mid year when he’s in 2nd grade, next January 2010 (THE 2010-2011 catalogue?). Obviously I want to get the 12 points at the correct time . Does that mean the waiting list letter which we receive typically in April of 2013 (end of his 5th grade) will be the final tally needed to apply for the schools the following September? Do the schools want to know your total points before April? Which of course we wouldn’t have at that point.
thanks again and I am planning to go to one of the magnet mixers!
January 7, 2009 at 6:36 pm
For sixth grade, you would start applying in 2nd grade to accumulate the 12 points. You’d apply in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th and get rejected each time.
If you are lucky, you won’t get the waiting list letter in late April of 2013, you’d get an acceptance letter. You’d get the confirmation letter in February saying they received your application, and that would list all the points applied to your son’s application, wait list points, and any PHBAO or overcrowding points.
January 21, 2009 at 3:32 am
HI THERE I HAVE A REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS SINCE NEXT YEAR I WILL BE IN MIDDLE. IF I DON’T GET ACCEPTED IN MY CHOSEN MAGNET SCHOOL BUT I AM ON A WAITING LIST AND I GO TO A CHARTER, SAS, OR A PUBLIC SCHOOL WILL I STILL GET TO KEEP MY MAGNET POINTS.
I APPLIED FOR LACES (LOS ANGELES CES) IS THAT A GOOD SCHOOL.
January 22, 2009 at 3:15 am
Hi Diaana,
If you do not get into the magnet you applied to you’ll get wait list points. It won’t matter if you go to a charter, SAS, or a public school. However, you will have to wait until school starts and they go through the waiting list to know whether you got in or not.
Good luck!
February 3, 2009 at 6:37 am
So I am pretty sure we do want our kids to go to the elementary school right down the street from us (Kester). But we want to get magnet points so they can qualify for the magnet at Kester, which does NOT begin in kindergarten. Of course then there’s a lottery to contend with: education Vegas style. Here’s my question, if we apply to Valley Alternative Magnet for kindergarten and they are accepted, they HAVE to go there? We’re looking for rejection here. Such a wacky system! Thank you oh wise one.
February 5, 2009 at 6:07 pm
If you’re accepted at Valley Alt., you don’t have to go, but nor will you accumulate 4 waiting list points.
February 10, 2009 at 2:35 am
I made the mistake of not sending my son to Community Magnet for kindergarten after he was selected (we chose to send him to private school instead, which i regret from a financial standpoint). We’ve since moved to a slightly better area and have accumulated 8 points (four the past two years). Can he get into Wonderland as a second grader with 8 points
February 10, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Eh, tough call re: Community magnet, but let bygones be bygones. There are no guarantees re: Wonderland (although you can always try calling the magnet coordinator there to inquire as to your chances). As you say you’ve moved to a better area, have you considered your home LAUSD elementary, by the way (find via lausd.net)?
February 18, 2009 at 6:53 pm
The problem is our home elementary is Burbank Blvd., which isn’t so hot. We’re fairly close to Colfax, and wouldn’t mind enrolling there, but that would involve fudging the address (our son’s grandmother lives in the Colfax district). Are there special circumstances in which we could enroll at Colfax?
February 19, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Hi Erik,
I’m wondering what you found “not so hot” about Burbank. Numerically, they’re not far off, and I’m hoping you did a boots on the ground inspection and have talked to parents at dismissal at Burbank about what they loved (or didn’t).
Colfax API is 883, Burbank is 825. GreatSchools ranks Colfax a 9, Burbank a 7. Those aren’t so incredibly different I’d run from the school, especially given that you and your family could be part of making Burbank as hot or hotter than other buzz schools.
As for fudging addresses, LAUSD does check. In order to enroll, you’d have to get Grandma to let you put the DWP bill in your name, just to enroll. Then, LAUSD makes sporadic enforcement sweeps (Nobel did it last year or the year before and many families were disenrolled over night).
It doesn’t appear that Colfax has had open enrollment in the last couple of years, but you might want to check and see if they have a child care permit option. This could include Grandma as the daycare provider. It would be renewable every year with room, but that would be an option.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes.
February 24, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Hi Yenta,
I am totally confused by Nobel’s programs, and some schools like Granada and Community, which calls themselves ‘charter magnet’. I am told there are separate teachers for honors, magnet, and ‘the rest’ of the student body at Nobel. So if my child were accepted into a magnet program, would she/he be afforded the same learning opportunities as the local honors students?
As to charter magnets – how can they be both, how do they serve their ‘gifted’ and high achieving populations, and how do they identify the students who may enter into honors/AP coursework?
So many questions, so little time.
February 24, 2009 at 7:08 pm
I believe Colfax went Charter this year and is now an arts focused school.
February 26, 2009 at 5:36 am
Hi, I attended the Nobel presentation back in December. There are magnet classes, that by definition need to be a specific percentage of the bodies in those classrooms. The magnet is Math/Science, not gifted. There are honors courses in the magnet and courses that aren’t honors for the kids who might not be ready for that challenging coursework. The SAS program at Nobel is indeed a different program, and it’s the gifted program for the neighborhood school–all gifted kids who attend Nobel as their neighborhood school are together in the SAS. If that doesn’t make enough sense, contact Ted Pearce the magnet coordinator and he will easily explain the difference. He’s at (818) 773-4700 x4730
Charter magnets are essentially schools that “went” charter from an existing LAUSD school. Granada is a charter high school which went charter in 2004, and kept their Math/Science magnet and all the rules that LAUSD required. They also kept taking in some kids from outside the area as they had previously (I don’t know that that’s the case now).
April 4, 2009 at 12:15 am
Hi!
I recently attended a magnet info night at Granada Hills Magnet. The magnet coordinator said that we could basically discount the points awarded for overcrowded schools, because changes in the classification of what is “overcrowded” has changed and practically no schools fall under that catagory anymore. This, in essence, lowers the points needed to get into the magnet. Any truth to her information?
April 9, 2009 at 5:13 am
In the sense that it’s been happening for several years, yes. The only schools that get overcrowding points are the 3-track “concept 6″ calendars where the kids attend 17 fewer school days–not just year round schools.
Did they tell you what typically gets in to Granada these days? I’m assuming it’s now 19 or possibly 16 to get in? I’d be shocked if anyone got in with fewer than that.
April 9, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Granada’s Magnet coordinator said we’d need at least 16 to get in (which we have). Some 16’s would make it, some not.
We were just notified that my son was admitted into the SAS at Granada, so I’m not as worried about getting into the magnet now. I also am awaiting notice on my daughter’s application to Porter MS – any advice on good middle school SAS programs to apply to in case she doesn’t get into Porter? (she also has 16 points)
April 9, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Hi, my daughter applied for Granada’s SAS and Magnet spots, and she has 20 points for magnet, do you think she’ll get in?
And we’re awaiting the letter to see if she got in to SAS or not, what if she did get into SAS? Would we have to wait for the magnet letter or just ‘wing it’ for SAS?
April 9, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Hi Jennifer.
You have an extra ace in the hole with regard to Granada’s magnet. Since he’s in the SAS, if the school contacts you in the first few days of school in September, you can jump with very little issue for your son.
With regard to your daughter, District 1 has tons of SAS, so you just need to do a few tours to see which one appeals to you. Porter already has one, which would provide you with the same leverage to get into the magnet there if it got to crunch time. Patrick Henry, Holmes, Nobel and Lawrence are all North Valley Middle Schools with SAS schools. The entire list including phone numbers are listed here: http://sfpc.lausd.k12.ca.us/gate/prog-opt-3.html
Good luck, and let us know what happens.
May 7, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Hello
My son is in 2nd grade and identified gifted by LAUSD psychologist this year and he has 12 wait list points for balboa magnet school. Will he get admission in Balboa magnet this year for 3rd grade
Thanks
Paula
May 8, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Hi,
My daughter will be starting 6th grade in the Fall. Our home school is Mulholland, which I’ve heard awful things about. She’s a GATE student. We applied to Lawrence in Chatsworth, and are waiting to hear (12 points) back. I went on the tour and really liked it. Do you have any feedback on that school? Our other option is to apply for open enrollment at Portola, which would be MUCH closer to home and her friends will be there. What would you do?
May 13, 2009 at 3:16 am
Hi Shelly,
I just responded to another poster, but essentially the waiting game is taking longer this year due to the budget cuts and decisions based on class size increases. Notices should go out by the end of the month.
Lawrence is a great school. My son went there and graduated in 2004. Most of the teachers from then are still there (I think one married and had a family, and the other moved back to the East Coast). Mr. Zem is an award-winning science teacher that my son learned an amazing amount from. And Ms. Cagle is a great Algebra teacher that my son went back to visit. The magnet coordinator is my son’s former English teacher, and he loved her because he challenged him.
On the other hand, I have friends with kids attending Portola, and I know people who teach there. It’s a pretty neat school too.
I’d play it safe and apply for the open enrollment spot and wait to see what happens. If you’re lucky enough to have a choice, you can weigh both, talk to friends and visit each campus again and make an informed decision.
Good luck, and let us know what happens!
May 13, 2009 at 3:02 am
Hi Paula,
This year is an interesting year for magnets. In previous years, we’d know by now and we’d know that Balboa was accepting 60 first graders, 60 second graders, and 30 third graders. This year, with the change to 24:1, some prognosticators are surmising the magnets will be accepting more students than previous years.
I’m not sure whether your son has enough points to get in or not, because I haven’t been to a Balboa presentation in years. I’m not sure how many points it takes or how likely it would be to get in with 12. You can call the office and ask how many points it took last year for third grade, but you will know either way in about two weeks–if you can wait that long. 
Good luck!
May 14, 2009 at 3:52 am
FYI – We received our magnet acceptance letters today – My son got into Granada Hills and my daughter got into Porter MS. Both had 16 points. We had applied, and been accepted, into Granada’s SAS program, which we had applied for as a back up for the magnet. Looks like we won’t need it.
I don’t know how many points Balboa needs these days, but both of my kids went there and got in at 1st grade. It’s been a great experience there. Staff is beyond great! Porter has been pretty good as well. Challenging curriculum with lots of support. Good luck!
May 18, 2009 at 3:19 am
Congrats, Jennifer!
I’m glad Granada is no longer 23 points to be a lock. My son opted to not apply given the unlikely nature he’d get in with 20 points, and he was very happy at the school he chose, but I’m always glad when schools are a little less challenging to get into!
May 14, 2009 at 5:16 am
Help. I am new at this magnet system and my 4th grader got accepted to Balboa magnet for 5th grade. I don’t want to pull her out of her elementary school for one year and know I will lose all my points if I say no to Balboa.
What is the advantage of magnet versus SAS? Is it worth putting my child into school for one year just to obtain magnet status? My child and I are interested in Holmes and our home school is Frost which we are not thrilled about. Do I stand a chance getting into Holmes SAS? (obviously will not get into the Holmes magnet if I have no points left).
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
May 18, 2009 at 3:23 am
Lauren,
There are a few ways to look at it. Your child will be at Balboa for a year before she very likely ends up at Holmes with quite a few of her new Balboa classmates. With matriculation points, you’d have 12 points, which would make it fairly likely to get into Holmes (I’m not sure if Frost is PHBAO to get you the additional 4 points, but you could call and ask).
Another thing to consider, is that with the changes in class size, the magnets are going to be a bit smaller than the general schools, and that goes double for the magnet versus SAS situation you’ll be dealing with in middle school.
For what it’s worth, I know families at Balboa, and I know families trying to get into Balboa (even for 4th and 5th grades), and they’d love to be in your shoes
May 14, 2009 at 5:46 am
We started applying for magnet points in 1st grade, b/c we were new to the area and (wrongly, as it turns out) believed people who told us we HAD to try for the Eagle Rock Elementary Magnet b/c the main school’s GATE curriculum was inadequate. We kept on applying for points, hoping to accumulate them for middle school. We decided to have him go to Eagle Rock Jr/Sr high school for 7th, but continue to accrue points in case the school proved too big and unwieldy for him. We applied to Valley Alternative, hoping he’d be waitlisted b/c it’s so hard to get in there. Today, however, I learned he was accepted at VAS, so now we have to decide whether to send him there or give up the points. Eagle Rock MS/HS is a decent school, and we live in the neighborhood, which is a huge plus for us. But he’s an unmotivated student who causes no trouble at all, and we’re worried he’ll fly too far under the radar, particularly given the increase in class sizes and the size of the school in general.
My question: If we were to turn down the points and start over, are there good magnet high schools to which one could get in with 4 or 8 magnet points (or however many points one might accrue by being at ERHS and applying for two years)? Or would we end up looking at charters and other programs, like the program at Marshall?
May 18, 2009 at 3:29 am
I’m sure Sandra will tell you all the phenomenal reasons to really consider Valley Alternative, so I’ll just answer the remaining questions.
For high school, you will have the opportunity to apply for open enrollment, SAS and gifted magnets. By applying to a couple of open enrollment schools, a few SAS, and one gifted magnet you’ll likely get into at least one. Marshall’s would definitely be one to look at.
May 21, 2009 at 10:26 pm
ETA: We visited Valley Alternative and decided to turn it down. We spoke at length with a parent and the magnet coordinator, who were helpful, and both my son and I decided that Eagle Rock Jr/Sr High would be a better fit for him. VAS was just too small (it’s not even 1/3 the size of his current school), it has limited opportunities for extracurricular activities, and it’s quite a ways from where we live. I consider us fortunate that we have a decent local school (although some of our fellow GATE families don’t share this belief), and only wish that we weren’t losing all our magnet points by turning down VAS. But someone else who really wants to go there b/c they don’t have a decent local school will take the opening, I’m sure, and that’s a good thing.
Thanks so much for putting up this website – it’s helpful in figuring out the byzantine point system!
May 19, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Hello
My son is in 2nd grade this year. I am applying for balboa magnet since 3 years. Now till date he have 8 waitlist points. If I apply next year and he is not accepted still then he will be having 12 waitlist ponts. My question is : I I want him to be in magnet in the middle school what should i do? Can i keep those 12 points? because for him to be in middle school is 3 more years. Please help
Thank you very much
May 21, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Hi Simran!
Wait list points are calculated on a rolling basis, so that if you stopped applying, the oldest four points would term off the first year, and then there’d be 8, and if you didn’t apply the year after, there’d be 4.
At this point, it’s critical you keep applying to Balboa and keep your wait list points current.
It’s not likely that your son would be accepted to Balboa for 4th or 5th, but it could happen. And if he doesn’t get in, you have your 12 points for middle school.
Good luck!
May 20, 2009 at 10:22 pm
I have a daugther and a son who are currently at Tulsa Street, they are currently in kindergarten and 3rd grade. My daughter is in the SAS program and will be in the Gate program next year for fourth grade. I applied to Vintage Magnet School for 2009-2010 school year and both my children were accepted. My question is should we accept? My hesitation is we are happy with Tulsa but want to make sure we make the right decisions for our children’s education. What have you heard about Vintage? Also, if we transfer to Vintage, I’m not sure about an after school program. Do you know of one for that school.
Thank you
May 21, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Hi Suzanne,
Yours is a common dilemma this time of year. I’ve already talked to several parents at my daughter’s school, who were surprised with acceptance letters from Balboa Gifted Magnet, and are wrestling with the same question.
Here’s what I’ll ask:
Are you happy at Tulsa? Do you have a great PTA/PTO, an active administration, and involved teachers? Do you feel like you work together as a community?
Are you comfortable with the teachers at the upcoming levels for both your daughter and son? You already know what your son is in for–are you happy with those teachers?
On the other hand, it’s awfully rare that BOTH siblings get into a magnet in the same year, so perhaps asking for a tour, or meeting with some of the parents from Vintage, or popping in for their Open House, Carnival, or even a PTA meeting could help you make the decision. A quick phone call to the school will tell you if they have a YMCA program afterschool or a free Beyond the Bell program.
In addition, by turning down the spots, you’re not going to have much time to get points for your daughter for middle school. Are you ok with the SAS at your neighborhood middle school (Porter? Patrick Henry?)?
Speaking as a mom who turned down Balboa a couple years back for my daughter–after my son went there and was very well served–just remember it’s not a lottery in the sense you “won” a spot. You have been given the opportunity, but if your kids are well served and you know what to expect where you are, do NOT feel guilty about turning down the spot.
May 21, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Thanks for the comments and for the great questions to ponder. I guess my biggest concern would be losing the points for my daughter and then not having the opportunity of a better middle school. Patrick Henry is our neighborhood school and as far as I can tell they do not have an SAS program and I have not heard very good things about the school. My daughters current teacher says we should be trying for Frost or Porter. The question I can’t seem to have any one give a straight answer on is, how much of an advantage is it to have 12 points when trying to get in at a magnet school? When picked through the lottery, does having points improve your chances of being selected? Does being in the Gate program help as well? Sorry, I’m fairly new to all of this. And if you haven’t noticed, I’m a bit of a worry wart over making the right choice. Also, do you mind me asking about your decision not to send your daughter to Balboa? What did you do for middle school (is your neighborhood school a good school) or are you not at that point yet. Regarding the after school programs, yes they have beyond the bell which is for 2nd-5th, and a program limited to 84 students. They do not have the YMCA, but have been trying to get it. I’m currently trying to see what the other options are.
Thanks again
May 22, 2009 at 2:50 am
Suzanne,
Don’t automatically discount Patrick Henry, though. Kids from my daughter’s school actively chose Patrick Henry as a smaller option than the behomeths that Porter and Frost are. And in the next year or two their music program will be the most incredible thing in the world, thanks to one of the dads from our school. I’m not sure if 8 points would be enough for any of the middle schools, or if you’d need 16. Heck, Nobel was accepting some students with 12 or 16 this year. But having the full 12 wait list points puts an application at the same level as the kids graduating from the elementary magnets. Some will have extra points for PHBAO or overcrowding, but the magnet kids in the non-PHBAO, non-overcrowded get 12. Having 12 waitlist points puts an application on par with those kids. Some schools need 16, others kids can get in with 8–it depends on the magnet, and you’d have to call to ask. GATE doesn’t help with magnet points, unfortunately.
As for worrying, don’t sweat it. If you didn’t, who would?
As for my daughter, we were barely in kindergarten when we applied for first grade and we didn’t know what our options would be. We applied, didn’t thinking we’d get in. We did, with the announcements in May, and by then she had a great support system of little friends, my husband and I saw what a great PTA the school had, and how neat the teachers were. The difference of maybe 80 API points (from 900 to 980 or whatever they were at) wasn’t enough to uproot her. My feeling is gifted kids are gifted wherever they go, it doesn’t disappear. Her current school has a strong gifted program, and I knew I could augment her at home for anything I felt she was missing.
My neighborhood elementary school is a yearround 1000+ seat monster, so no, my daughter’s home school isn’t an option. We’re at her current school through open enrollment. When we get to middle school, I’ve looked at Holmes and my son went to Lawrence and that’s still a consideration (and could be possibilities for your daughter and son as well, given their North Valley locales). My daughter is currently in 2nd grade, so we have a LOT of time on choosing middle schools.
Any other questions?
July 6, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Arrgh! This process is frustrating. My daughter just completed Kindergarten at Hazeltine Elmentary. Dreadful school (though her Kindergarten teacher was wonderful). In the 600’s. Bullied for her half-Asian heritage. In the running for Valley Alternative, where all her friends on our block go. We have 8 points now. Considering private school. If that’s the way we went, we’d lose the 4 points for her being in a PHBAO school. I simply can’t stand her being in that poor performing public school. Apart from losing PHBAO points, any detriment to her attending a private school while on the list for a magnet (aside to our pocketbooks).
July 7, 2009 at 7:15 am
Hi Kenny,
To be clear, your daughter gets PHBAO points based on your NEIGHBORHOOD school. If that’s Hazeltine, great. If that’s another school, that’s fine too. Regardless of whether your daughter attends public, private, or you home school her, she’ll continue to reap those points. Did you apply for Valley Alternative and you’re on the waiting list now?
August 10, 2009 at 6:08 am
I am in local district three, and I have my son (born 10/5/05) enrolled in the SRLDP at Richland Avenue Elementary for fall 2009. I have the possiblity of enrollment in SRLDP programs at Grandview Elementary or Playa del Rey Elementary. I also have the opportunity for him to attend an LAUP prgroam at the Washington West Campus through SMMUSD.
I was wondering if I could get more information about the actual curriculum of the SRLDP program. I don’t get whether it is more play based or academic. Also among the three LAUSD schools I mentioned, do any one of them stand out as the better program?
Lastly, do you have any idea how the LAUP at Washington West in SMMUSD compares to the SRLDP in LAUSD?
October 7, 2009 at 10:33 pm
My son attends Vintage Magnet, he is in 5th grade. He has been identified as Gifted. How exactly does the junior high enrollment process work? Does he automatically get in when I apply, or should I put him on a waiting list?
We really lucked out when it came to getting him in at Vintage; they were having a hard time meeting their Caucasion ratio. I’m sure it won’t be as simple when it comes to junior high.
-Clueless!
October 8, 2009 at 3:32 pm
What perfect timing, Liz.
The entire magnet season has been moved up, with the Valley Magnet Nights in early November this year. Since you’ll be looking at middle schools, mark November 4th on your calendar. Sepulveda Middle School is hosting a Meet the Magnets night from 6:30 to 8:30 in their auditorium. You’ll be given information about a variety of magnets in the Valley.
You will still need to apply by the new December deadline, and while your son isn’t automatically getting in, his 12 matriculation points will be a big help toward his getting in. Each magnet can tell you what the typical number of points to get in will be.
Good luck!
October 21, 2009 at 6:48 am
Thanks for the new info. December deadline? Have applications come out? When exactly is the deadline?
October 21, 2009 at 6:20 pm
I haven’t seen the new brochure, and the e-Choices website hasn’t been updated, but I’ve heard the date is December 18th. Brochures will be mailed to all current LAUSD families and available in school front offices soon.
October 21, 2009 at 6:51 am
I did have another question. Could you please explain how the magnet busing works? Where are the kids picked up and dropped off? What do working parents (those who work past 4:00 or 5:00) do? Thanks
October 21, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Magnet buses typically pick up at a nearby school (elementary for elementary magnets, high schools for high school magnets). Be forewarned, the buses come extremely early. My son’s school was 15 minutes away, and he was expected to be at the bus site by 6:30 am. For that we just drove.
You can check with the magnet if they have late buses (middle/high school) or if they have afterschool care like a YMCA or a Beyond the Bell program. You’d then pick up at the magnet afterschool. Otherwise, you might look at a nearby daycare provider to pick up and take to the center/home day care.
October 22, 2009 at 3:19 am
Just want to add that with budget cuts, LAUSD is extending the boundary for qualification to three miles for middle and high school students (no transportation provided if you live less than 3 miles from the school) and one-way riding times will now max out at 90 minutes. Check with your school to see maps, etc. With another 500 million to be cut in 2010-11, further cuts could be made.
Bill Ring
TransParent®
October 25, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Is there an online schedule? This would be part of us determining which magnet to apply for. Any way to see this year’s schedule?
October 25, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Bus routes change each year, but you can at least talk to the school to understand the current bus routes. But because the students change each year (with students graduating and new students arriving) there’s no guarantee they’ll be the same.
And as Bill suggests, they’re changing the busing zone to 3 miles, so almost all bets are off.
You might also want to talk to the schools you’re interested in and see how the school helps with carpools.
October 24, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Our 3rd grade daughter was identified as intellectually gifted last year by the LAUSD psychologist.
The gifted coordinator feels that our daughter is also gifted in the performing arts (singing and drama) and would like her to audition for identification next month.
Assuming that our daughter auditions well and gets identified as gifted in the performing arts, what does that really mean for her? Will being “twice” gifted bear any preferential treatment when applying to a gifted magnet?
We’d love to send her to a school that both challenges her and offers creative opportunities beyond what her current school offers, but only have 8 points due to a snafu last year when we applied to Wonderland and got dropped out of the queue (and got 0 wait list points) because our daughter had not yet been IQ tested and her inexperienced 1st grade teacher did not support what all other teachers (and we) had been seeing since preschool. ::sigh::
October 24, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Hi Julie,
You’re really talking about two different programs. The Gifted magnet would be her academically gifted assessment she’s received and you’d be eligible for a variety of high ability/gifted magnets.
The audition for the visual and performing arts makes her eligible for the Saturday Conservancy program (and if anyone knows better, please correct me–I’ve never known anyone who’s done it). The auditions are held in May and November, and there’s a flyer on it here: http://www.lausd.net/lausd/offices/GATE/Inf_Performing_Arts_Auditon.pdf
As you’ll see, they’re two different programs, but you can ask various schools what types of programs they offer. I know there are a variety of performing arts magnets starting in middle school.
You probably have already lived on the LAUSD GATE website, but it does try to explain the various programs, and it’s located here: http://www.lausd.net/lausd/offices/GATE/
October 26, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Hi all,
Its time for me to start the magnet point’s game to get my now 4th grade daughter into King’s Middle school gifted magnet. We have 4 points already and will apply to a hard to get into school this and next year. She goes to a PHBAO (Micheltorena) school, was labled gifted in 1st grade and officially tested as gifted at the end of second grade and she is considered “white”. I would love any advise on how / what we need to do to help her get into King in 6th grade and any info from parents of kids at King gifted would be much appreciated.
Thanks
dorit
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August 31, 2008 at 11:56 pm
My local Pre-K-5 school is listed as 4-track… do I get more consideration?