Quick Guide for Parents/Legal Guardians
Application Period: October 1st – January 15th
1
Research Schools
- Contact individual school(s)
- Attend school open house events, and tours
- Explore school materials, brochures, websites, etc.
- Review additional requirements/eligibility criteria, testing or auditions (if applicable)
2
Apply
- Fill out the Online Magnet Application before January 15th.
- Or fill out a paper application before January 15th, and Mail or deliver to
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
School Choice & Parental Options
1450 NE 2nd Avenue, Suite 352
Miami, FL 33132 - An account will be established and information will be emailed to the provided parent/legal guardian email address.
- Provide school transcripts (non-M-DCPS students) or virtual school documents to the school to which you are applying.
3
Application Instructions
- Select up to 5 schools (Only one program per school).
- Active military parents/legal guardians must provide active duty documents for military status consideration.
- If twins are applying to the same school, the twin’s information has to be entered.
- If applying to a school where a sibling is currently attending, the older sibling’s information has to be entered (Not applicable for Visual & Performing Arts programs).
- Review application, agree to Terms and Conditions, sign and submit before January 15th.
4
Scheduling
ALL AUDITIONS/TESTS MUST OCCUR PRIOR TO MARCH 1ST
- Parents/legal guardians must set up an appointment for Visual & Performing Arts auditions or language proficiency testing, if applicable.
- Attend the scheduled audition or testing appointment; failure to attend the scheduled audition or testing appointment will result in ineligibility for the selected program.
5
Random Selection
MONTH OF MARCH
- Through a third-party computer system, the random selection process is generated based on the programs’ specific eligibility criteria, sibling pairings and other school and district specific selection criteria. The system generates waiting lists for each program.
6
Notification Period
MARCH 15
- Parents/legal guardians will receive an email with the results on or by March 15th. The placement results will be as follows:
- IF ACCEPTED:
Log back into the Magnet application system to accept your chosen school. You must contact the school directly to complete the registration/enrollment process. Please note that once a school/program is selected, the other schools to which the student was accepted will be declined. Students will remain on the random selection list for the schools to which they are currently wait listed. Parents/legal guardians must accept by the deadline date within 2 weeks after March 15th or the seat will be forfeited and go to the next student on the waiting list. - IF WAIT-LISTED:
Students will be selected from the random selection wait-list as seats become available. You may change acceptance to a preferred program only if your child’s status changes from Wait-Listed to Accepted. The wait-lists for schools may change through
the beginning of the following school year. - IF NOT ACCEPTED:
The student did not meet entrance requirements, or did not pass the audition, or take/pass the proficiency test.
Any inquiries must be made to the individual school(s) directly. - NO SHOW (NOT ACCEPTED):
NOTE: Applies ONLY to Visual & Performing Arts students who did not schedule or attend an audition. Parents/legal guardians were responsible to contact school(s) for auditions.
- IF ACCEPTED:
7
Declaration of Program
- Parents/legal guardians must declare their program acceptance by the specified deadline date.
- Parents/legal guardians can accept online or visit the individual school.
- Parents/legal guardians may change acceptance to a another program only if their child’s status changes from “Wait-Listed” to “Accepted”.
8
Register
- Register with the selected school.
- Parents/legal guardians must contact the school for any additional requirements and/or deadline dates.
Additional Option:
Off-Cycle Application Period (April 15 – September 1)
If schools exhaust their waiting lists, and seats become available, they will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Acceptance may be provisional and contingent upon the individual school’s eligibility requirements and/or the successful completion of exams, courses, etc.