Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which magnet school is the best fit for my child?
Only you can decide. Consider your child's interests and abilities, and learn about the school options available to you. Look to contact the schools you are interested in directly for a personal tour and if you wish, contact the school and staff will be happy to answer questions you may have about their specific programs. Also plan to attend one of the events showcasing the SLPS Magnet and Choice Schools. Visit the St. Louis Public Schools District website for information regarding the schedule of events and/or see those listed below.
We are hosting Student Recruitment/Informational Events.
High School Here I Come (Parent Night)
Tuesday, October 4th 2022: 5:30pm Main Presentation 6-8pm Breakout Sessions
Allied Health Building at St. Louis University
3437 Caroline Mall 63104
High School Here I Come will focus on educating prospective students and families on all SLPS high schools, the magnet criteria, on-line application, and timeline. Each high school will have an assigned space to showcase their school and explain program highlights.
Elementary and Middle Magnet School Parent Night
Thursday October 13, 2022 5:30 to 8:00pm
St. Louis Science Center
5050 Oakland Ave.
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I don't see my child's grade or the school desired as an option when submitting an application, what do I do?
If you don't see the school or grade desired when applying for a specific program, this means that there are currently no open seats remaining for this grade level at this school and the waiting list is lengthy. Please consider applying to other schools with openings.
Why can't I submit an application online?
An application unable to be submitted online may need to be addressed per the popup information description from the website application, prompting an email to be resolved. These may be due to duplicate accounts, and/or duplicate student files. If you have questions please email or call 314-633-5200.
After the Pool A lottery and/or Pool B Lottery, some schools/grades that are projected as full with a lengthy wait list may be removed from schools to apply for.
After August 4, 2023, one week prior to the school year beginning, we will no longer accept any applications submitted online. This date is two weeks prior to the beginning of the 2023-2024 School Year on August 21, 2023 Only paper applications to schools and grade levels with open seats will be processed after August 4, 2023. Applicants WILL NOT be notified if a paper application submitted after August 4, 2023 was NOT processed duel to lack of available seats.
Must I list more than one school choice on my application?
No. You may list up to two schools (gifted programs allow up to four choices where age/grade appropriate) but you are not required to. If there is only one school that interests you and your child, you may limit your application to that school. Please do not apply for a school you are not willing to send your child to attend. Students accepted into any school choice requested will no longer be considered for placement to the other school requested on the submitted application, even if the school offered is the second (or lower for gifted) choice.
How will I know you received my application?
An automated email receipt verifying that we have received your application will be sent. You may need to check your spam/junk mail. Please review it carefully to ensure all information is correct. If you do not receive a receipt emailed within 10 work days of submitting your application, city families should contact the Student Recruitment office at 314.633.5200 to ensure your email address is entered correctly and the application was fully submitted. St. Louis County resident families should call the VICC office at 314.721.8422. After August 4, 2023, applications may no longer be submitted online. Only paper applications to schools and grades with open seats will be processed after August 4, 2023.
When is the Magnet School Lottery?
The two Pool lotteries for the 2023-24 school year will be held on:
Pool A - Friday, December 2, 2022
Pool B - Friday, February 3, 2023
What are my child's chances of being accepted to a magnet school?
Applying within the Pool A lottery period deadlines will greatly increase the chances of a child receiving an acceptance offer. Acceptance rates vary from year to year depending on the number of seats available for a school/grade level, and the number of applicants. Please note, do not apply for a school you are not willing to send your child to attend. Students accepted to any school choice requested will no longer be considered for placement to the other school requested on the submitted application, even if the school offered is the second choice.
How will I find out if my child is accepted?
Placement Notifications will be emailed and posted on the dashboard on:
Pool A - Friday, December 9, 2022
Pool B - Friday, February 10, 2023
Acceptance notices for all Pool A and Pool B accepted applicants will be sent via U.S. mail in March, 2023.
The Application and Placement program and websites used allow parents to access and view their student's application dashboard if they have applied online and set up an account. Families may also learn the results by calling the Student Recruitment Office at 314.633.5200, or by email. St. Louis County resident families may call the VICC office at 314.721.8422, or email.
What do I do after my child is accepted?
If your child is accepted you should claim the seat on your child's dashboard or via email. However, the offered school assignment will be considered accepted as the default 2023-24 school year assignment for your child unless you decline the seat on your child's dashboard, via email notification, or in writing to the SLPS Student Recruitment Office. The school your child is accepted into should contact you in the Spring of 2023 about any events for newly accepted students that will be held prior to the end of the 2022-2023 school year.
What if I change my mind after my child is accepted?
Please decline the seat on your child's dashboard, or via email notification, or in writing to the Student Recruitment Office. Include your child's name, date of birth, the school and grade where a seat was offered, and the reason for declining the seat. For currently enrolled St. Louis Public Schools students, if the seat offered is declined the child's school assignment will default to their previously attended or next assigned St. Louis Public School. St. Louis County resident families should notify the VICC office in writing, or by sending an email.
What if my child is not chosen through the lottery?
For Kg-8th General Education (non-Gifted Education) Program Schools, if you child was determined Lottery Eligible (age and residency eligible) to attend the school requested but no seats remained to offer acceptance, their name will be placed on a waiting list for that school if the applicant was not accepted into another choice requested. For Gifted Education Programs and ALL High Schools, your child may first be placed on the wait list prior to determination of Placement Eligibility and/or prior to potential acceptance. Please do not apply for a school you are not willing to send your child to attend. You are not required to request more than one choice. If additional spaces at the school and grade requested for the school year applied for become available, you will be notified via email. Applications do not carry over from year to year so if your child is not accepted you would need to re-apply for the next school year if desired.
How do I apply to a different school?
Please do not apply for a school you are not willing to send your child to attend. If your child has not been accepted to a school requested and you wish to apply for a different school, or you want your child considered for placement to a different school after gaining a seat in a school previously requested, the previous application submitted and wait list/acceptance spot held by that application needs be withdrawn by Student Recruitment and/or Student Placement Office Staff to accommodate the new placement request. This specific type of "Choice Change" request detailing the child's name and birthdate and the changes to be made to the application submitted should be done via email or in writing. Any seat offered via application submitted cannot be held while awaiting consideration for placement into a different school. The previous offered seat/wait list spot must be declined prior to processing any new application submitted, or choice change requested. A child will not remain on a wait list or be considered for placement into one school while accepted into another.
What if my child is not accepted to his or her first choice?
If you listed more than one choice on your application, and your child is accepted to his or her second choice (or lower for gifted), that school is the school he or she will be eligible to attend for the 2023-24 school year. His or her name will NOT automatically go on a waiting list for your first (or other for gifted) choice, and the other choice(s) requested will be removed from the school and grade wait list for placement consideration. Please do not apply for a school you are not willing to send your child to attend.
If you are still interested in your child being considered for your first (or lower for gifted) choice school, you must refuse the seat to the school requested where the seat was offered via email or in writing, then request in the same email or written notice the choice desired for your child to be added to the desired school's waiting list. The placement on that school's waiting list will be determined by lottery placement if submitted for Pool B consideration, or added first come first served for applications submitted after the Pool B Lottery application deadline. The date the request is received will be used to determine acceptance and or wait list placement, not the date of the initial application received earlier. Please do not apply for a school you are not willing to send your child to attend.
Once my child is accepted, do I need to reapply each year?
No. Once your child is accepted, enrolled and attending a Magnet/Choice school you do not have to reapply each year, presuming he or she will finish each school year at the same Magnet/Choice school and continues to meet eligibility criteria where applicable.
Specific 2nd to 3rd, and 5th to 6th grade students advancing to the next school level will automatically be assigned to the continuity school for the program they are currently attending. Click this link for the Magnet/Choice schools feeder pattern.
IMPORTANT! For all 8th to 9th grade students, an application must be submitted to be considered for placement to a Magnet High School. All school established criteria must be met to be eligible for placement to a Magnet High School. 8th grade Magnet Middle School graduates are not guaranteed placement into the continuing themed Magnet High School if the Placement Eligibility criteria for that school is not met.
My child attends or was accepted into a magnet school this year, but I want a transfer to a different magnet school next year. What do I do?
You must submit a new application and be accepted through the lottery, or first come first served process if after the lotteries. Your child will keep a spot in his or her current school attending until (1) he or she is accepted into the new school and (2) you've completed the enrollment process at the new school.
Currently enrolled Magnet Schools students are the last group considered for placement into other Magnet Schools, including grade 2 and grade 5 students matriculating out of their current Magnet School who are attempting to gain placement for the next school level at a non-continuity feeder pattern site. Students determined eligible for SLPS District Gifted Programs who attend SLPS General Education Magnet Schools or SLPS Neighborhood Schools are not given Continuity Placement Priority into Gifted Program Magnet Schools.
Parents of current General Education Program Magnet Schools students wishing for their child to attend one of the Gifted Education Program Magnet Schools must apply and be considered in the lottery with the priority assigned as a student currently enrolled in a magnet or choice school.
ALL 8th to 9th grade students must apply to be considered for placement into a Magnet or Choice High School. There is no automatic direct continuity assignment from a Magnet Middle school to the Magnet High School with the same theme. All SLPS Magnet and Choice High Schools applicants must submit an application to the desired schools(s) and meet Placement Eligibility Criteria Requirements as established by the individual school to be considered for potential placement. Please do not apply for a school you are not willing to send your child to attend.
SLPS Magnet and Choice Schools enrollment does not allow for open transfer from one Magnet or Choice School to another. Parents must apply for a child to be considered for placement through the application and placement processes and priorities in place, if desiring placement into another Magnet or Choice School.
All requests for transfer to any SLPS Magnet School are subject to the application and placement procedures and deadlines as for any applicant requesting placement into an SLPS Magnet School.
2023-24 school year high school transfer requests desired after April 15, 2023 and before June 30, 2023 must be submitted with a written release from the 2023-24 School Year projected SLPS high school principal. Transfer requests for students projected to attend one SLPS Magnet or Neighborhood/Comprehensive High School to another SLPS Magnet or Neighborhood/Comprehensive High School will not be granted after June 30, 2023 for the 2023-24 School Year.
Have a question you need answered?
City families can email or call SLPS Student Recruitment Office 314.633.5200
County families can email or call Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corp. (VICC) at 314.721.8422, ext. 3012.
For school related questions, please call the magnet school directly.
