Admission to Brown School for Middle and High is Criteria-Based

PLEASE NOTE: JCPS does NOT provide school bus transportation to the Brown School. Families should consider their transportation needs before applying.

To apply, applicants must complete all steps on the Brown School Admissions Form (opens November 2).

This form will take you through each of the following tasks.

• Complete the JCPS Magnet School Application.

• Submit academic materials from the current and prior school years. (Only required if enrolled in a non-JCPS school at any time during those years. See below for more details.)

• Request teacher references.

• Note the dates for survey sessions to complete the Self-Directed Learning Dispositions Survey & Writing Task. (Only applicants meeting academic and teacher reference criteria will be invited to attend a survey session.)

All tasks must be completed by December 18, 2026.

Additionally, we recommend all prospective families to attend a Magnet Program Information Session at the school. Information and dates are listed below.

If you are new to the district, please visit www.jefferson.kyschools.us/schools/apply/new-students for information about registering your child for school in the district. The registration process must occur prior to completing the JCPS Magnet School online application. (This step is required for students in private/parochial schools, students moving to Jefferson County from other school districts, and students enrolling in Jefferson County for the first time.) 

For more information on the online application process, contact the JCPS Office of School Choice at (502) 485-6250.

Each applicant will be considered in relation to the following criteria.

Minimum Academic Criteria

Academic criteria will be verified by the following measures. Applicants who have attended a non-JCPS school at any point during the past two years, must provide of the following. Materials should be uploaded in the Brown School Admissions Form (opens November 2) by December 18, 2026.

• Core content (math, english, science, and social studies) GPA for the current and prior school years, AND

• Kentucky State Assessment (KSA), highest scoring year only OR another standardized test (reading and math) from the prior two years.

Applicants must meet one of the following academic criteria. 

• Academic Criteria 1) 3.0 GPA AND All Proficient on KSA, 6th Stanine, and/or 60th Percentile 

• Academic Criteria 2) 3.2 GPA AND No Novice and no more than one Apprentice on KSA, >6th Stanine, or >60th Percentile

• Academic Criteria 3) 3.5 GPA; No test scores required

Teacher Recommendations

Each applicant must have two teacher recommendations. The most prevalent marks on the recommendation form must be above average. Please provide recommending teachers with one of the links below.

• • • Paper Form (Printable)

    • Digital Form

Self-Directed Learning Dispositions Rankings

Applicants who meet the minimum academic criteria and teacher recommendation criteria will be invited to complete the Self-Directed Learning Dispositions Survey & Writing Task. In-person and virtual options will be available.

Based on the results, applicants will be ranked within their grade and JCPS Diversity Index Category. The SDL Dispositions Survey measures student dispositions in relation to three of the four dispositions of J. Graham Brown School’s Self-Directed Learning (SDL) magnet program theme.

• Independence

• Empathy

• Innovation

In the writing task, students will respond to a writing prompt about the fourth SDL disposition - 

• Advocacy

*SDL dispositions can be found on the J. Graham Brown School SDL Framework.

Student Interview

Based on the SDL Survey & Writing Task, selected applicants will be invited for a virtual admissions interview with members of the admissions committee. Interviews will gauge candidates capacity for success in the K-12 Self-Directed Learning Magnet Program. 

The number of candidates selected to interview will be determined by the estimated number of openings at each grade level. More candidates may be interviewed than the number of current openings to be filled.

Please note these important dates.

November 2 - December 18, 2026 

JCPS Magnet School Application Window

January 5 - 8, 2027

Invitations to the SDL Survey sent to applicants meeting academic and teacher recommendation criteria. Applicants not meeting criteria will be added to their second-choice school's applicant list. 

January 12 - 16, 2027 

SDL Survey & Writing Task Sessions 

January 19 - 21, 2027

Invitations to a virtual admissions interview sent to selected applicants

January 22 - 29, 2027 

Applicant Interviews

By February 4, 2027

Acceptance letters will be sent to families via email. Decline letters will be sent via U.S. Postal Service.

Beginning February 5, 2027 

Applicants who are not admitted, due to limited capacity. will be added to their second-choice school's applicant list while remaining in Brown School's applicant pool for consideration for future openings.

February 2027 - March 2027

Openings at Brown School for the 2027-28 school year will be filled from the Brown School first-choice applicant pool. In high school grades, if the applicant pool is exhausted, second-choice and late applicants may be considered.