Ultimate Guide to Dallas Magnet Schools
/Dallas Independent School District is home to 160,000 students and close to 4,000 staff members. It is the second largest district in the state of Texas, and the twelfth largest in the entire United States. Dallas ISD has a wide variety of unique programs and schools for its diverse student population.
With many magnet schools and special programs across the district, Dallas ISD can satisfy virtually any career goal, passion, or interest students choose to pursue. Read our ultimate guide to Dallas magnet schools to find out more information about the various options available.
Overview of Programs
Dallas Magnet Schools: Elementary School
Dallas ISD has multiple magnet elementary schools to explore, all with their own unique specializations and areas of focus. The elementary schools within the magnet category in Dallas ISD are:
● Sidney Lanier Expressive Arts Vanguard
● K.B. Polk Talented and Gifted Vanguard
● W.B. Travis Talented and Gifted Vanguard
● Mark Twain Leadership Vanguard
● J.P. Starks Math, Science and Technology Vanguard
The mission of each of these schools is to nurture their students while enabling them to achieve academically, socially, and emotionally. Each magnet school has its own area of emphasis and its own focus. These range from Talented and Gifted to Fine Arts or Science and Technology.
The magnet schools not only focus on student academic achievement, but their achievement in other areas of their lives, as well. With a variety of activities and various clubs and groups, students are sure to find something that fits their individual needs and preferences.
Dallas Magnet Schools: Middle School
Dallas ISD has even more options for students in terms of magnet middle schools to pursue, and each of these has its own focus and area of emphasis. The middle schools that fall under the magnet category in Dallas ISD are:
● William Hawley Atwell Law Academy
● Dallas Environmental Science Academy
● W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy
● O.W. Holmes Humanities and Communications Academy
● Henry W. Longfellow Career Explorations Academy
● Barack Obama Male Leadership
● Irma Rangel Young Women's Leadership
● Alex W. Spence Talented and Gifted Academy
The programs at these schools all follow the state and district mandated academic standards, but they have unique focuses that make them stand-out from the normal public schools. These areas of emphasis range include: science and the environment, leadership skills, talented and gifted, and humanities.
The curriculums at all of these magnet middle schools differ, but they are consistent in the fact that they are stimulating, hands-on, and enriched with real-world applications and field experiences. Students will study from educators who are experts in their field and will be prepared for their years ahead in high school and beyond.
Students have special opportunities at these magnet schools, ranging from professional speakers in various topics such as astronomy, science and technology, and leadership, to attending conferences and helping their communities with unique volunteer experiences.
Dallas Magnet Schools: High School
Dallas ISD has a huge variety of magnet high schools, which are guaranteed to meet the specific academic and career goals of any student. The magnet high schools in the district include:
The high schools have a multitude of focuses, but each serves to prepare students to function successfully and efficiently in the diverse global society. The schools offer balanced, yet rigorous, curriculum and have an explicit emphasis that will provide a strong foundation for students.
Some of the Magnet high schools in Dallas ISD offer practical experiences through internships and other special programs, and ensure that students are beyond ready for their futures.
Special Programs
Dallas ISD also offers a special program for students who are looking for a less traditional high school option within the Magnet system. A. Maceo Smith New Tech High School is a specialty school that focuses on technology. Students have many unique opportunities to learn necessary life skills in order to be active contributors and citizens to the growing digital society.
Early College
Dallas ISD has multiple Magnet high schools that fall under the Early College category as they offer a high number of college credits through advanced curriculums that transfer to four-year colleges everywhere. Many students that attend these schools will graduate with up to 60 credits that can be applied towards college, some even earning their associate’s degree.
The courses to earn the credits at these Magnet high schools are free of charge and the small class sizes allow educators to fully support the students through tutoring, enrichment opportunities, and one-on-one attention.
The early colleges in the Dallas ISD are:
Top Dallas Magnet Schools
Top Dallas Magnet Elementary Schools
Beginning a student’s education in a magnet school can be exciting yet confusing when faced with sifting through all of the information that is available. Each of the magnet elementary schools has a specific emphasis as well as certain focus areas that set them apart from the other public schools in the Dallas ISD. We have put together the top elementary schools as well as their focuses and admissions information.
Sidney Lanier Expressive Arts Vanguard
K.B. Polk Talented and Gifted Vanguard
J.P. Starks Math, Science and Technology Vanguard
William B. Travis Talented and Gifted Vanguard
Mark Twain Leadership Vanguard
On top of each school’s unique admission requirements, certain documentation must be submitted as part of the general application process. This documentation includes:
Priority for admission is first granted for those that are currently Dallas ISD students. Once all qualified in-district students are accepted, applicants that are out of district will then be considered and accepted.
Top Dallas Magnet Middle Schools
Dallas ISD has many middle school options for students who are looking to continue along the magnet program path or are hoping to enter into it. As there are many schools to consider, we have highlighted some of the best, and include their unique emphasis and area of focus.
Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership Middle School
William B. Travis Academy and Vanguard for the Academically Talented and Gifted
Dallas Environmental Science Academy
Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy
George Bannerman Dealey International Academy
School for the Talented and Gifted
School of Science and Engineering
Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
The School of Business and Management focuses on preparing students for their futures in successful and challenging careers.
As part of this preparation, the application and admissions process for SBM is similar to that of a job, including the requirement of a resume as well as an on-site essay and interview.
Students will be asked questions based on their resume, their middle school experiences, as well as their reasons for wanting to attend SBM.
Students will have 45 minutes for the on-site essay, which will be handwritten and not prepared ahead of time. The official prompt is not given until the testing day, but sample prompts can be found on the official school website.
School of Health Professions
What’s Next…
Learn more in-depth information about top Dallas magnet schools: School for the Talented and Gifted (TAG) and W.B. Travis Talented and Gifted Academy.
An article telling everything you need to know about the Texas STAAR test can also be found here.
