Compete for a Seat

By The Northwest Press Editorial Staff      Published December 18, 2019

Magnet schools tend to draw some of the more gifted students away from traditional schools, but to allow for more diversity, the CCSD decides to loosen the admission criteria for the year 2020-21.

          Getting rid of the attendance and “citizenship” grades, non-STEM based programs are now ‘interest-based,’ no longer having any criteria. According to NWCTA’s principal, Tina Statucki, with these new changes; “Middle school students will have less motivation to work as hard to get accepted into a magnet program.” While these lowered expectations may pave the way for diversity, it also leads to more slacking students.

          STEM programs are now ‘minimum criteria-based’, the requirements include grade-point average and a pre-algebra course. Programs such as Engineering & Design will be difficult for students who haven’t taken Algebra 1 yet, and students who haven't “may struggle and have a hard time in that program,” Statucki says. This, in turn, will negatively affect the school.

          In the future, the reputation of magnet schools could potentially be lowered. According to a study published in Educational Leadership magazine by Adam Gamoran; “magnet school students score higher on science, reading, and social studies tests than students do in non-specialized public schools.” With the new admission criteria, students coming in next year will realize that the school isn’t what they expected, and the classes are actually rigorous, resulting in lower test scores.

          With these new changes, magnet schools are open to almost all students. This makes it unfair to those who truly want to study in their desired program and receive a good education. These hard-working students should speak up against these new changes made by the CCSD because their spots are being taken by less deserving students.