More Anne Arundel County Public Schools students than ever before – 2,229 – submitted applications for seats in magnet programs for the coming school year, an indication that interest in programs of choice across the school system continues to rise sharply.
The record number of students submitted a total of 3,007 applications – each student could submit up to four – for just 1,530 seats available for the 2014-2015 school year. Applications were accepted for seven magnet programs housed at 15 schools. The number of applications represents an 11 percent increase over the current school year.
“The tremendous response is very exciting to see,” said Dr. Maureen McMahon, Assistant Superintendent for Advanced Studies and Programs. “It is encouraging to see students applying for a program of choice that they feel is a best educational fit for them as individuals.”
This number of applications means that lotteries will be held for seats in all seven programs:
- BioMedical Allied Health Magnet Program at Glen Burnie High School
- International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme at Annapolis and MacArthur middle schools, and Old Mill Middle School North
- International Baccalaureate Middle Years/Diploma Programme at Annapolis, Meade, and Old Mill high schools
- Performing and Visual Arts Middle School Magnet Program at Bates and Brooklyn Park middle schools
- Performing and Visual Arts High School Magnet Program at Annapolis and Broadneck high schools
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Middle School Magnet Program at Lindale Middle School (set to open in August 2014) and Old Mill Middle School South
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math High School Magnet Program at North County and South River high schools
Magnet lotteries will be conducted by an outside agency later this month. Eligible families should begin to receive magnet program seat offers and waiting list placements by mid-February.
Next year, 11,000 students from grades 6 through 12 – 28 percent of the AACPS population for those grades – will be enrolled in a magnet program at the start of the school year.
Applications for enrollment in AACPS’ two Centers of Applied Technology are not counted in these totals. Those applications are due on April 1, 2014.