Magnet schools are attracting increased attention as a form of natural desegregation and a way for parents to ensure that their child receives an education that is specific to their career aspirations. As more of our resources are dedicated to magnet schools and additional programs are added, dissecting the pros and cons becomes much more important, so let’s compare and contrast.
List of Pros of Magnet Schools
1. Specific Programs Available.
A child who shows a certain level of aptitude in sciences or the arts will typically benefit from enrolling in a magnet school. Gifted students also flock to magnet schools, as well as children who have shown a knack for learning foreign languages. Public schools do not always give children the same opportunities to explore the things that truly interest them.
2. Better Test Scores.
Since magnet schools often attract the best and brightest children, this leads to much higher test scores. Parents who wish to give their child a leg up on the competition for college enrollment would do well to enroll their child in a magnet school. At a magnet school, it is all about the academics. Not only should school always come first, but you are trusting your child to a staff who values the same principles.
3. Parental Involvement Is Encouraged.
As a matter of fact, not only is parental involvement encouraged at a magnet school, it is also expected. Parents who wish to take a more active role in their child’s education should enroll their child in a magnet school. Teachers work in conjunction with parents to provide a great learning environment for kids, which makes for a much better educational experience.
List of Cons of Magnet Schools
1. Increased Commute Time.
For the majority of children, the magnet school that they attend will not be adjacent to their place of residence. While some kids won’t mind an hour long bus ride to and from school each day, there are others who will. Taking a bus from their own neighborhood into another part of town is not always good for a child’s development.
2. Too Narrow Of a Curriculum.
Certain children benefit from a narrowing of interests at a young age. They have already developed a passion and need someone to stoke their fire. Other children may not know what career they wish to have yet and sending them to a magnet school may narrow their curriculum too much, stunting their mental growth.
3. Separation From Old Buddies.
Magnet schools require a child to take a long bus ride out of the neighborhood and this also takes them away from all of their old buddies, as well. When a child has gone to school alongside of their neighborhood pals since they were young, sending them a different school on another side of town may be too much of a culture shock for them to handle effectively.
