Magnet schools have specific curriculum focuses such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), the arts, and professional or career paths are common topics.
We will discuss the essential advantages and disadvantages of a magnet school.
Pros of Magnet Schools
1.
Have a smaller class size
The number of students per class usually is fewer compared to public schools.
The higher the student population per class, the more challenging the learning process becomes.
A small class population ensures that the teacher gives more attention to students.
In addition, the teacher can identify students having difficulties with learning material and work with them individually.
For an effective learning process, the smaller the student population, the better.
2.
The curriculum is based on student interests and passions
The curriculum focuses on developing each student’s passion and interest, unlike public schools, where the curriculum is standardized to cater to all students.
Focusing on students’ strengths leads to growth and ensures students achieve their full potential.
Furthermore, learning becomes enjoyable because the student is passionate about the subject studied.
The curriculum is also reviewed from time to time to ensure these schools give the best education to their students.
3.
The learning environment is diverse
In these schools, students are from different districts, making the learning environment diverse.
Diversity promotes empathy, collaboration, and respect inside and outside the classroom.
It teaches students to appreciate the different backgrounds of other students.
Moreover, it encourages students to explore and allows them to try new things.
The more diverse a school is, the more likely it will attract many students.
For this reason, a diverse environment gives students a sense of belonging and acceptance.
4.
It encourages parental involvement
Choosing the right school for their children is not the parents’ only responsibility.
Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their children’s education by being in touch with teachers, keeping up with all the academic calendar events, and forming parent associations.
Together with the school administration, the parents’ associations meet regularly to share ideas and raise concerns for the better running of the school.
The involvement of parents in their children’s education ensures that students perform well and feel motivated.
5.
Well-equipped classrooms and facilities
Different classrooms are equipped with the necessary equipment to ensure students have the best innovative classroom environment, such as smart boards, computers, and art decor.
In addition, the extracurricular facilities, such as the gymnasium, swimming pools, and football fields, are equipped with modern equipment to ensure students have the best experience.
As students have the best experiences with these facilities, they explore, grow and bring out the best in their talents.
6.
Higher salaries for educators
Magnet school programs get more funding than public schools.
It allows them to hire the best educators and pay them well.
Paying educators higher salaries ensure that they stay motivated and do not compromise on the quality of education.
Educators are hired based on the most suited for the job rather than the one with more seniority.
For that reason, they have a high-quality faculty.
7.
Have fewer discipline cases
Most of these schools have fewer discipline cases compared to public schools.
Indiscipline is brought about by the boredom of the learning process that comes with pursuing subjects that do not interest the student.
You are supposed to do several subjects in a public school, even those you do not like, unlike magnet schools, where you only focus on your interests and passions.
Learning becomes more accessible when someone does the subjects they love because they are interested in the subject matter.
Students who are passionate about the subject matter will focus on ensuring they grasp the concepts.
8.
Community and family partnerships are highly encouraged
The community and family are partners of the school and participate in all school activities.
Students get to do community work to understand the importance of a community.
The family partnership is enhanced through students being given assignments to do with their families.
Furthermore, the parents are invited to their children’s classes to share more about their occupations during career week.
These partnerships help students understand society better outside the classroom setting.
9.
Academic excellence
These schools attract the brightest and best children, leading to many high test scores.
Educators in these schools work with students’ learning pace compared to the classroom pace.
This way, it allows the educators to attend to the academic needs of each student.
In addition, it helps educators develop different strategies for assessing students to test their understanding of concepts.
Academic excellence is prioritized in these schools, which is why they perform better than public schools.
10.
Offers online programs
The integration of technology in school programs has revolutionized learning.
Technology has made it possible to have online classes.
Internet access has increased worldwide, making it possible to do an online program anywhere in the comfort of your home.
Online programs have become a preferred option for many students as they give them more time to work on other things as they continue their studies.
The flexibility of online programs makes them more attractive and convenient as it takes less time from an individual’s routine.
11.
Specialized programs
Magnet schools have specialized programs for their students.
Some schools are geared towards science and math, while others have focused on performing arts such as music, acting, and dancing.
The idea of specialized programs is to ensure that students grow and become the best in the area of their interest.
12.
Gets more funds
Magnet schools get more funding than public schools to run their programs; they receive funds from federal, state, and local sources through donations and grants, which allows them to spend more on resources, books, and supplies that help them maintain a good reputation and high education standards.
In addition, more funds help them hire the best educators and support staff in the industry.
13.
Gives a higher chance of joining college
Magnet schools award their students special honors in their diplomas, which look fantastic on their college applications.
It makes their students stand a higher chance of joining a college.
In addition, colleges believe that students will have an easy time and enjoy learning because they begin developing and growing in their career path at a young age.
14.
Students become better at managing time
Due to intensive academic programs, magnet schools are associated with too much academic work.
Students learn to organize themselves to ensure all assignments are completed on time and participate in extracurricular activities.
With this type of routine, students develop quality organizational and time management skills.
15.
Employers prefer magnet school students
Many employers prefer magnet school students because these students have a quality education.
In a recruitment exercise, employers will choose the most qualified individual.
Because of the specialized academic programs, magnet students have all the necessary skills, exposure, and work-setting experience.
16.
Students achieve the highest level of academic success
Students who have been through magnet schools achieve higher academic success, like becoming professors and Ph.D.
holders in their fields.
This academic success is because these students begin pursuing their passions and interests at a very young age.
Cultivating a culture of exploration and passion for learning ensures students take control and are confident about their career paths.
Cons of Magnet Schools
1.
Teachers work long hours
Teachers work for long hours compared to the average teacher in a public school.
Their job is even more challenging because they must pay attention to every student.
A summer off and a few weeks of vacation would not be enough compared to their work magnitude.
These teachers are hired on contract; if they break it because of working for longer hours or greener pastures, the school could sue them.
2.
The admission process is selective
These schools are reserved for only the brightest and best students.
A student must have no disciplinary issues, have a good attendance record, and achieve high grades to stand a chance to be enrolled in these schools.
Thus it may be difficult for average, below average, and just good students to get admission.
3.
Friendship challenges
Students become separated from their friends in the neighborhood because of the long rides they have to take to and from school.
It becomes challenging to keep up with the new friends they make in school because they live far away.
They are making it challenging to have game nights or group studies together.
4.
Narrowing of a curriculum
Not all students benefit from narrowing a curriculum at a young age.
Those who benefit are those who have developed a passion or interest for a sure thing at a young age.
Others at a young age do not have any passion or interest in anything.
Taking these students to magnet schools does more harm than good.
They should be given time for self-discovery and to figure out their passions and interests.
5.
Long bus rides
Many of these schools are far away from the homes of the students.
Students must take long bus rides of more than an hour to and from school.
The bus rides are lonely, especially during the first year of joining the school.
Furthermore, their parents may need to pick them up from the bus station for young students because it might be miles away from home.
6.
Have similar costs to private schools
Taxpayer monies subsidize a magnet school’s cost, yet the cost is similar to a private school.
Their costs are ten percent higher than an average public school.
Parents who want to send their children to magnet schools must ensure their children’s education trust fund has more than enough money.
7.
Have fewer extracurricular activities.
These schools have fewer extracurricular activities compared to public schools that have numerous.
Their programs are specialized to offer professional base-practice education to their students.
In addition, in these schools, there is no equal time distribution among activities, and academic activities are given more time compared to extracurricular activities.
As a result, a majority of these schools have fewer extracurricular activities.
8.
Attending after-school activities is a challenge
Attending after-school activities is faced with challenges such as limited bussing and the considerable distance between home and school.
Parents may be forced to pick up their children from these activities and drive miles away back home.
With this transport challenge, students may not attend school activities such as dances, concerts, and sporting events.
9.
Underrepresentation of students with special needs and non-native English speakers
A majority of these schools have an underrepresentation of students with special needs.
A school may have none or one student who has special needs.
Most of their programs are designed to fit students who are not physically challenged.
In addition, they have a few students who are non-native English speakers.
Most of these schools prefer native English speakers because all their programs are in English.
They are making it easier for students who are native speakers to understand the school program and adapt to it.
10.
Transfer of bright students from public schools.
Causing an overall imbalance of students in public school classes.
Typically, a public school class consists of top achievers and average and below-average students.
Public schools have a decline of high achieving students, and this is because magnet schools attract bright students from the surrounding public schools.
11.
Some magnet schools do not provide transportation
Having transport means is essential since these schools are far away from students’ homes.
However, magnet schools do not provide transportation or bussing because they do not cover sizeable geographical ground.
Parents have to look for alternative means of transport for their children.
12.
Have strict policies
A student may be expelled if they have disciplinary issues.
Magnet schools have zero tolerance towards indiscipline.
If a parent experiences financial difficulties, transferring her child to another school might be wise.
The costs of these schools are high and are similar to having your child in a private school.
13.
High demand for magnet schools
They are making the demand for magnet schools higher than the available enrollment capacity.
Many parents prefer their children to attend a magnet school, not a regular public school.
As a result, many students miss out on having an experience of a magnet school, leading them to stay stuck in their zoned regular public schools.
14.
Some magnet schools cheat to get more grant
Some magnet schools boost their scores by encouraging talented and gifted students in public schools to enroll whereas rejecting the applications of students with lower grades.
Doing this puts the magnet school in an advantaged position because, in some districts, grants are given based on scores.
Public schools will lose their best students, leading to a decline in grants.
Eventually, the school will have to reduce its programs, leading to low-quality education.
15.
Magnet schools give a large number of assignments
Magnet schools give many assignments that deny students time to hang out, play or have a part-time job.
A large number of assignments make students feel overwhelmed and stressed at times.
Furthermore, students will experience significant stress if they wait until the last minute to start their assignments.
The only way a student can be safe from academic stress is by ensuring they avoid procrastination by doing assignments.
16.
Public schools students have few opportunities of joining the best colleges
The best colleges prefer students from magnet schools compared to public schools.
Students from magnet schools have a success rate of finishing college compared to regular public schools.
Hence, more opportunities are given to students from magnet schools in these best colleges.
Students in public schools join regular and middle colleges; only a few join the best colleges.
References:
https://www.cavsconnect.com/opinion/2017/11/07/the-good-and-the-bad-magnet-programs-edition/
https://teach.com/careers/become-a-teacher/where-can-i-teach/types-of-schools/magnet/
https://visionlaunch.com/pros-and-cons-of-magnet-schools/
https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/what-is-a-magnet-school