Considering a Wake County magnet school? 12 answers to the most common questions

For families who are considering one of Wake County Public School System's magnet schools for their child, it's coming down to the wire.

The 2018 deadline, extended after January's snowstorm, is Feb. 5. No later than that date, parents must fill out the online magnet application on the system's website if they'd like their child to be considered for one of the slots. Decisions will be sent on Feb. 19.

It's a big decision that is causing plenty of stress for lots of parents out there. So I checked in with Tamani Anderson Powell, director of marketing for Wake's magnet schools, to get the answers to the top questions she's fielding during this period that's nerve-wracking for so many of us. (I'll be right there with you a year from now when my daughter applies to high school!)

Here are the questions Powell fields most often:

"The thing I think that most parents don't recognize about magnet programs in Wake County is that we're choice with a purpose," Powell said. "Because our purpose is to promote diverse student populations, the priorities are designed to support that objective."

Most, but not all, magnets are typically in lower income neighborhoods. So students who live in high or middle income neighborhoods (Wake uses the term "catchment" area) with base schools that are high or middle income are generally given priority over students who come from lower income neighborhoods. The system defines middle and higher income neighborhoods and schools based on the number of children who qualify for free and reduced lunch in that area, Powell said.

"Most magnet schools have base students that are lower income students," she said. "If your base is typically lower income and you are trying to create a diverse population, you give priority to those that are higher or medium income because that is where we are creating diversity. That is choice with a purpose."

"If you are selected for a school that you listed on your application, you are automatically assigned to that school," Powell said. "Having said that, during the transfer period, you can be assigned back to your base school."

This year, the transfer period runs Feb. 20 to March 6, starting the day after magnet notifications are sent out. If you decide that you don't want to attend the magnet school where your child has been assigned, starting on Feb. 20, you can fill out a transfer request and request that your child be sent to your base school instead. Unless your base school is capped, it's likely you can return to your base school, she said.

Nope. "You can just list one magnet," she said. "List the one magnet you really love."

Yes! "You can amend your application up until Feb. 5," she said. "There's a way to go back in and amend your application."

It's likely because your child hasn't tested into the system's Academically or Intellectually Gifted Program in either math or language arts or both and your address qualifies for Ligon only if your child has AIG status, Powell said.

"For middle school, students who are not identified as AIG will not see an AIG option on their application," she said. "If you're not, you'll only see your [Gifted and Talented] option."

All students are eligible to attend a Gifted and Talented magnet school, which supports the gifts and talents of all children through a wide variety of electives.

Students in the AIG program have tested into the program, typically in elementary school. Through the system's AIG Basics Program, offered at some magnet schools, AIG students take their core classes in self contained classrooms where the material often is taught at an accelerated rate.

Maybe, said Powell. But it might be tricky.

If the student has been following the Gifted and Talented magnet pathway, they'll likely get a seat at Enloe. If they are coming from a base school or another magnet pathway, it won't be as easy. Five Gifted and Talented middle schools feed into Enloe, she said.

"They typically take up almost all of the seats at Enloe," she said. "... It's just a numbers game."

"Everybody wants to know, 'what's the best,'" Powell said. "I don't know your kid. They all are great for different reasons. So you really just have to know what you want for your child or the setting in which your child really thrives. If you ask me, I can tell you what's wonderful about every program and I can tell you a drawback to every program."

Does your child have trouble with transitions? A Gifted and Talented school, where they will move to different electives during the day, might not be the right choice for her. Does your child thrive on change? A school with lots of electives might be just right.

The magnet system certainly has some very popular schools, but Powell recommends that parents expand their horizons beyond the schools that they always hear about.

"You can't just go by what's popular," she said. "You really have to see what works for your child. We have some great magnet schools. And we have some great magnet schools that aren't so popular because the theme is newer. So check out a lot of things, not just the ones that everybody is talking about."

"If your base school is year-round and you want to apply for traditional, that part is still during the transfer period," Powell said. (The transfer period is Feb. 20 to March 6.)

But, if you're interested in both year-round schools and magnet schools, you'll need to fill out that online application by Feb. 5. New this year: In an effort to add more students to the county's year-round school rosters, the school board opted to give priority to year-round applications.

"That's huge and new for this year," Powell said. "If a family likes year-round, certainly list it, but know that if you get that year-round school, your magnet application will not be processed."

Some year-round schools are crowded, but many have open seats. That means it could be likely that you'll get your year-round pick and your magnet application won't be considered, she said.

Yes, Powell said. "You can't get in if you don't apply," she said.

Ten percent of all placements are randomly selected from the pool of applicants. So, Powell said, everybody has a shot, regardless of where they rank among the priorities.

"I just encourage people who are interested to still apply," she said. "Everybody has a chance to have a seat. It's a lottery - a weighted lottery - but everybody has a chance if they apply."