hisd magnet policy -- draft 110311

8/3/2019 HISD Magnet Policy -- Draft 110311

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Houston ISD101912

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT EGAINNOVATIVE AND MAGNET PROGRAMS (LOCAL)

DATE ISSUED: 1 of 6LDUEGA(LOCAL)-X

WeThe Houston Independent School DIstrict will provide innovativeand engaging programs to attract, retain and empower students ina rich academic environment. Directly aligned with the Board‟s Be-liefs and Visions, HISD‟s magnet schools embody the mandates forchange on school choice, decentralization, school empowerment,and meaningful engagement.

The District‟s magnet program was created in response to a courtorder to desegregate in 1975. In 1980, HISD was declared a uni-tary school district by the state of Texas in large part because ofHISD‟s extensive magnet program. In 2004, HISD magnets wererecognized by the US Department of Education as going “Beyond

Desegregation.” While student diversity remains a core belief andis desirable and sought, the District must also offer “quality pr o-grams that will engage students in the learning process leading tohigher achievement.”

The magnet program in the Houston Independent School District(HISD) offers students a portfolio of K-12 engaging, academicallyrigorous and theme-based choices. The program seeks to recruitand draw a socio-economically and ethnically diverse student bodyfrom throughout the district with the ultimate goal of the HISD stu-dent population reflecting the diversity of the greater Houston met-ropolitan community.

A magnet school provides unique instructionprogramming through

its learning environment and culture, specialized principal, teacherand support staff training, appropriate resources and materials,and current technology. Strong community and business partner-ships support various magnet themes and philosophies. HISD‟smagnet program should provide a structure for students to takecharge of their educational experience; it should promote diversityand foster learning across disciplinary boundaries, and it shouldgenerate collaboration between HISD and the greater Houstoncommunity. In addition, magnet programs exist as a supplement tohigh quality neighborhood schools, with the ultimate goal of everyHISD school being a school of choice.

Glossary of Terms provided at the end of the policy.

The following characteristics serve as the underlying framework ofthe Magnet Program:

Each magnet program will maintain the following characteristics tobe evaluated on an ongoing basis:

MAGNET PROGRAMSAND SCHOOLS

THE DISTRICT‟SMAGNET

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Houston ISD101912



1. Academic achievement and intellectual entrepreneurship asits core goals, enhanced by thematic programming, teachingphilosophies, and real world experiences;

1.2. Anoffers an enriched curriculum designed around a special-ized theme or philosophy. that meets students‟ interests, tal-ents, and needs withand has relevance in today‟s society andeconomy;

2.3. A socio-economically andEach magnet program strives toprovide an ethnically diverse student body so that studentsgain the experience needed to live in a multicultural society;

3. Each magnet program accepts, within its enrollment goal,

students who have a strong interest in its magnet theme andwho have met the selection criteria appropriate to the pro-gram;

4. Each magnet program Strives to increase student access tothe program through the District‟s awareness activities, com-munication, transfer procedures, and transportation policies;and.

5. Actively involvesEach magnet program actively encourages parent, community, and business involvementpartnerships.

Qualifications for entering a magnet program are specific toeach program. Generally, Eentrance to elementary programs is

based on interest and available space. Secondary programs mayrequire more specific qualifications for entrance. Each secondarymagnet school shallmay create a detailed description regardingtheof entrance criteria and process which shall be made readilyavailable and easily accessible to the public. The entrance criteriaand process should be balanced with the key elements of objectivi-ty, impartiality, fairness and equity and shall comply with state andfederal laws. HISD may not, under this EGA (LOCAL) policy, createa centralized standard for admission impose any generalizedstandard for admission into magnet programs upon individualschools or programs. Magnets shall remain decentralized andshould have the maximum freedom to develop and implement themethods that best achieve the goal of high student achievement.. If revisions are necessary, they must be adopted and approved be-fore the application period for the following year. A student may

transfer into a magnet program at any time during the school yearif the student is qualified and if there is available space. Once en-rolled in a magnet program a student can only transfer at the endof a school year. [See EGA(REGULATION)]

STUDENTAPPLICATION,

SELECTION ANDADMISSION PROCESS



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Houston ISD101912



Elementary school – Application only.only.

Secondary school – May require more specific qualificationsfor entrance, created at the campus level and is subject toBoard approval or auditions for fine art programs.May requireboard approved criteria (created at the campus level) or audi-tions for fine arts programs.

Admission to the magnet programs shall be based on the followingprocess. All students must complete the formal application processand meet the criteria listed below to qualify for admission:

Utilize a standard application allowing for multiple schoolchoices by the applicant;

Meet the established selection criteria by theme, when appli-cable;

The District will oversee a board approved,When school-based selection (when there are more qualified applicantsthan space available a schoolbased lottery will be used to se-lect students.

Secondary Fine Arts Magnets will be exempt from schoolbased lottery systems

) and centralized acceptance systemThe district will operate acentral acceptance and enrollment database to facilitate effi-cient placement of students in specific programs.

A student may accept an offer from a waitlist throughthe first week of school. . Secondary Fine Arts Mag-nets will be exempt from school based lottery sys-tems.Once attending a magnet program a student canonly transfer at the end of a school year.

ELEMENTARY

SECONDARY

CRITERIA

A STUDENT MAY


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Houston ISD101912



Equal access to instructional excellence requires adequate andequitable allocation of resources. Board approved, fair fundingper-student formulas shall be created that take into account pro-gram costs, unique themes and innovation. The magnet per-student formulas must support the diverse magnet programs withinHISD and allow for their continued success. Board approved, unique per unit allocations shall also be distributed to various mag-net programs or themes based on a program or theme‟s uniqueneeds. These allocations shall be reviewed and revised by theBoard in consultation with the Superintendent on an as needed ba-sis,bi-annually and any changes to the unique per unit allocationsare subject to Board approval.

Schools must be empowered to develop and implement the meth-ods that best achieve their unique and individual instructionalgoals. Those interested in extending access and establishing amagnet program may submit a written proposal to the Office ofSchool Choice, Chief Academic Officer, and Board. The individualschool will then be held accountable for innovation and instruction-al results.. If a Any new program, is including to bethose createdwith limited external funds from a Federal Magnet AssistanceGrantthe Magnet Schools Assistance Program, the board-approvedproposal must include a financial sustainability plan to ensurefunding beyond the lifespan of the magnet grantfunding.

To promote autonomy and ownership, new magnet themes or pro-

grams will be generated by the community and will not be assignedor limited by preexisting programs or themes. In the case of anidentified regional needIf the district identifies a regional need, thesuperintendent or his/her designee will create a community taskforce which includes the SDMC will be created to generate and vetideas and create a transition plan and a financial stability plan fornew programming.

A viable, robust magnet program should have a clear focus that isnot dependent on any single program, initiative, grant, teacher orfacility. This focus should be sustainable across many years andrecognizable as a brand for the campus. For these reasons, muchplanning and communication should go into proposing majorchanges to an existing magnet program. Major modifications,those that substantially change a program, require board approval

and at least one transition year, during which stakeholders can beinformed and information about the new program can be dissemi-nated. The transition year is necessary in order to prevent surpris-

An applicant who meetsthe entrance criteria andhas a sibling whoattends the sameprogram and who willcontinue to attend thatprogram the followingyear shall beautomatically placed ona space-availability basisprior to placement ofother qualifiedapplicants. Siblings aredefined as brother,

sister, half-brother, half-sister, step-brother orstep-sister living in thesame household. Neithersiblings nor multiplesapplying together for thefirst time shall receivesibling preferentialtreatment. IF MORETHAN 25% OF THEQUALIFIEDAPPLICANTS ARESIBLINGS, THEREWILL BE A SEPARATESIBLING LOTTERY.THE SIBLINGS OVER

AND ABOVE THE 25%WILL BE WAITLISTEDIN PRIORITY ORDEROF THE GENERALPOPULATION.

EXCEPTIONS

Magnet programtransfers will receivehigher priority than othertransfer types except inschools with “school-within-a-school magnetprograms” for non-magnet transfers orwhen required by law.

FUNDING

ESTABLISHINGA MAGNET PROGRAM

MODIFYING AN

EXISTING MAGNETPROGRAM


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hisd magnet policy -- draft 110311

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