State Board of Education now accepting public comments on state charter applications until Jan. 14, 2025.

Magnet Schools

FAQs

  • What is an intradistrict magnet school?
    Answer:

    An intradistrict magnet school can be used to support racial, ethnic and economic diversity by permitting students to exercise school choice within their assigned school district. While students do not cross district or town borders, intradistrict magnets allow local students from different neighborhoods to learn together in settings that offer unique, high-quality, themed educational opportunities. Intradistrict magnet schools are public schools funded by a local school district and may be operated by local and/or regional boards of education, regional educational service centers. Intradistrict magnet schools can offer prekindergarten (PK) through Grade 12 programs. Several of these programs provide opportunities for students to receive college credit in high school through school partnerships with higher education or Early College Experience programs. Contact the intradistrict magnet school you are interested in and arrange for an appointment to see the school.

  • Does the school provide for the needs of special education students?
    Answer:

    Yes. The responsibility for holding planning and placement team (PPT) meetings belongs to the district where the student lives. The interdistrict magnet school is responsible for ensuring that the student receives the services required by the student’s individualized education program (IEP), whether those services are provided by the interdistrict magnet school or by the school district in which the student resides. For more information, contact the Bureau of Special Education at  860-713-6966.

  • How will my child get to school?
    Answer:

    The district where the school is located must provide transportation for its resident students. Interdistrict magnet schools or participating school districts receive state grants if they choose to transport out-of-district students, but they are not required to do so. Nonparticipating school districts are not required to provide transportation to students from their districts who attend interdistrict magnet schools. However, state law allows a school district to apply for state reimbursements for interdistrict magnet school transportation should it elect to provide transportation.

  • Who is eligible to attend interdistrict magnet schools?
    Answer:

    Students who reside in Connecticut are eligible to attend a magnet school. Operators of interdistrict magnet schools may limit the number of participants if there are more applicants for the school or program than there are available seats. In that case, a lottery must be conducted. No student may be denied placement or enrollment in an interdistrict magnet school or program because of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, genetics, age, religion or any other protected class as defined by federal and state nondiscrimination laws.

  • Who may operate an interdistrict magnet school?
    Answer:

    An interdistrict magnet school is a publicly funded school that may be operated by local and regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, the Board of Trustees of the Community-Technical Colleges on behalf of Quinebaug Valley Community College and Three Rivers Community College, or by cooperative arrangements between two or more districts.

    To assist the state in meeting the goals of the 2008 stipulation and order for Milo Sheff, et al. v. William A. O’Neill, et al., the Board of Trustees of the Community-Technical Colleges on behalf of a regional community-technical college, the Board of Trustees of the Connecticut State University System on behalf of a state university, the Board of Trustees of The University of Connecticut on behalf of the university, the board of governors for an independent college or university, as defined in section Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 10a-37, or the equivalent of such a board, on behalf of the independent college or university, and any other third-party not-for-profit corporation approved by the Commissioner of Education may operate an interdistrict magnet school program.

    All interdistrict magnet schools must operate in accordance with the same laws and regulations applicable to public schools.

  • Do parents/guardians have to pay tuition for the students attending an interdistrict magnet school?
    Answer:

    Interdistrict magnet schools are free, public schools for students entering Kindergarten through grade 12. 

    Interdistrict magnet schools operated by a Regional Education Service Center (RESC) may charge tuition for prekindergarten (PK) age 3 and PK age 4 students. The tuition fee for PK students will be determined annually by the RESC. In accordance with Connecticut General Statute 10-264o, families of PK students, who attend a RESC operated magnet school,

    • whose income is above 75% of the state median income, are required to pay a tuition fee.
    • whose income is at or below 75% of the state median income will not be required to pay a tuition fee. 

     

  • Whom do I contact to apply to an interdistrict magnet school?
    Answer:

    Contact the interdistrict magnet school you are interested in and arrange for an appointment to see the school. If you like the school, ask for admissions or application materials.

    If you are a parent/guardian or student in the Greater Hartford region and wish to obtain information about, or an application for interdistrict magnet schools, or other parent choice programs such as the Open Choice Program, Connecticut technical high schools, or regional agriculture science centers, please contact the Regional School Choice Office (RSCO) at 860-713-6990 or visit the RSCO Website. You may also visit RSCO’s Parent Information Center at 450 Columbus Blvd Plaza level  Hartford, CT, on weekdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.