What are the Pros and Cons of a Magnet School?

Answer 1

Whatever your opinion of the public schools in your community, it is no exaggeration to state that K-12 public education has inspired increasing amounts of both praise and criticism in how they handle an age-old task: the education of our children. Magnet schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District offer an alternative to the district's more traditionally zoned public schools.

The benefits of magnet schools may include factors such as a smaller teacher-student ratio and a more rigorous, innovative curriculum. Teachers and administrators point out that these two factors often go hand in hand, and common sense implies that less students in a classroom means that more can be accomplished in a given course. More time can be given to the individual student and their unique learning style while a difficulty with the course material is more evident.

That the morale of both student and teacher tends to be higher in a magnet school, with a shared feeling of accomplishment and school pride quite common, suggests that a greater bond exists between instructor, administrator, and student in a typical magnet school. Proponents argue that this collective sense of achievement neuters potential conflicts that may arise in its more diverse student body.

Critics of magnet schools, on the other hand, point out that these schools generally receive greater per-pupil funding than their more traditional counterparts. While this reads well on paper, a prospective parent or guardian should still inquire as to how this money is spent within the school. For example, is there an expensively outfitted computer lab-with no one on staff genuinely qualified to teach computer literacy?

Another critique of magnet schools is that they tend to be overly concerned with selectivity in order to bolster their reputation. These critics argue that magnet schools already favor the more advantaged student at the expense of the less advantaged, one whose parents or guardians may already be making greater sacrifices in time and expense in sending their children to schools farther from home. A successful magnet school should possess a varied formula for admissions, favoring the truly motivated student.

Overall, magnet schools remain popular-and sometimes difficult in which to enroll-due to their perceived level of excellence. Both the pros and cons of magnet schools should be considered when researching the magnet schools of Los Angeles.