Magnet Schools Overview
The Vista Unified magnet school programs were designed to both inspire and challenge students to engage in learning environments that are focused on unique pathways aligned to the growing demands of an increasingly complex global society and workforce economy. Please use this website to explore the options and follow our collective efforts to make the magnet school experience world-class.
Magnet School Purpose
Magnet schools are visionary, innovative and are free and open to anyone. Due to high demand, most schools determine student acceptance by a lottery system. The idea of magnet schools began in 1971, and in 1975, the term “magnet” had caught on so well in four short years the federal government was using the term. Today, magnet schools have emerged as educational beacons in communities, incorporating themed curricula, hands-on, experiential learning, and a diverse tapestry of students and academic requirements that often exceed those of the school district or state. Source: Magnet Schools of America
Recommendations to the Superintendent
The Magnet School Steering Committee met four times over the past eight months. The committee also held a community forum to gather feedback on the program. The committee is progressing according to the timeline. The co-chairs of the committee (Julie Kelly and Sam Stavis) just presented the official recommendation from the committee to the Superintendent and School Board in public session at the November 14, 2019, School Board meeting. Click HERE to view the presentation slide deck.
- Equity/Access: Create an Annual Fall Magnet School Data Report to the School Board in order to communicate trends and improve transparency across the district. Source: National Equity Project
- Fiscal: An improved application that is more streamlined and easier to navigate to ensure students and families have continued access to VUSD schools across the county.
- Communication: Creation of a modern, organized, equitable system of communication about/for/to ALL members of the community about Programs/Schools/Educational Opportunities in VUSD; including Magnets.