• 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.

    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 the grade level is not offered at that school, or 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 and/or grade levels served. After the lottery, some schools/grades that are projected as full with a lengthy wait list may be removed from schools to apply for.  

    Why can't I submit an application online?

    2026-2027 School Year Magnet Schools Placement Requests can be submitted HERE after 8:00 am Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

    The SLPS is using the Focus School Choice System to process applicants for SLPS Magnet Schools in the 2026-2027 school year and beyond.

    1. If your child is currently enrolled into an SLPS school you should have a Focus parent account and a student file, meaning the child is currently in Focus for the current 2025-2026 School Year. You should login and add 2026-2027 Magnet Schools Placement Request Choices for your currently enrolled child.
    2. If your child does not currently attend an SLPS school but did prior to the current 2025-2026 school year, you will need to set up your (new) Focus parent account, then add your child to your account from within the system. You will need your child's SLPS Student ID# to do this. Email Register@slps.org to learn your child's ID#. Please be sure to include the child's full name when enrolled in the SLPS, and the child's birthdate in the email.
    3. If you have one child currently attending the SLPS and wish to apply for another who is not currently enrolled and never has been enrolled, you may create the child in your Focus account, and then add 2026-2027 Magnet Schools Placement Request Choices for your child.
    4. If your child never attended an SLPS school, you will need to establish a parent account and create a file for your child to submit 2026-2027 school year SLPS Magnet Schools Placement Requests.

    STUDENT RECORDS INCLUDING:

    • ACCEPTABLE VERIFICATION OF ST. LOUIS CITY RESIDENCY IN THE PARENT NAME
    • PARENT IDENTIFICATION
    • CHILD'S ORIGINAL BIRTH RECORD/CERTIFICATE
    • CHILD'S UP TO DATE IMMUNIZATION RECORDS

    MUST BE UPLOADED TO THE FOCUS SYSTEM PRIOR TO ANY PLACEMENT REQUEST TO BE CONSIDERED FOR POTENTIAL PLACEMENT FOR ALL APPLICANTS.

    If you have questions email SLPSMAGNETSCHOOLS@SLPS.ORG. Please include

    • Parent name and email and /or phone # believed to be used on account
    • Child's full name and birth date on file

    Please do not submit a request for your child to be placed at a school you are unwilling to have your child attend. You are not required to list more than one choice, and a maximum of two choices is permitted. If your child is offered placement to any choice requested, they will no longer be considered for placement to any other choice requested, even if the choice offered is not the first choice. In addition, your child will not remain on the wait list for other choices requested, if offered placement to any choice requested.

    Applicants to SLPS Gifted Elementary Programs may submit up to four Gifted Programs choices depending on the child's grade level. You may also submit "dual" requests for both Gifted Programs (Columbia Gifted, Gifted Classroom at Stix KG-2nd, Mallinckrodt AGI, Wheeler CJA, and McKinley Middle CJA) and General Education Programs while awaiting evaluation of your child for Gifted Eligibility through the SLPS Gifted Offices. Click HERE to access the SLPS Gifted Offices webpage.

    Applications submitted in prior years for non-offered students must be resubmitted each year. Applications do not carry over from one year to the next.

    If a school and/or grade level is not available as a choice to request, this is due to the school and/or grade not being an available grade to request (i.e. Metro A&C, McKinley CLA High, Central VPA and Clyde C. Miller  11th and 12th grades), or the school and/or grade level is projected as full with a lengthy wait list, and additional placement requests are not being processed.

    Any duplicate accounts created and multiple applications submitted will be merged with the initial account created, #1 and #2 choices (if 2 are requested), and demographic data submitted being the default. Any additional accounts will be deleted and choices withdrawn. Please do not request placement into schools you are not willing to send your child to attend.

    Applications submitted after the 2026-2027 Lottery Deadline of Friday, November 7, 2025 will be considered for placement on a first come-first served basis through Friday, September 4, 2026.

    After Friday, September 4, 2026 enrollment to all SLPS schools including Magnet Schools will take place directly at the school and only into Magnet Schools for eligible students where open seats remain.

    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. If the choice requested and offered is declined, the other choice on the application submitted will not be considered for placement.

    How will I know you received my application?

    STUDENT RECORDS INCLUDING:

    • ACCEPTABLE VERIFICATION OF ST. LOUIS CITY RESIDENCY IN THE PARENT NAME
    • PARENT IDENTIFICATION
    • CHILD'S ORIGINAL BIRTH RECORD/CERTIFICATE
    • CHILD'S UP TO DATE IMMUNIZATION RECORDS

    MUST BE UPLOADED TO THE FOCUS SYSTEM PRIOR TO ANY PLACEMENT REQUEST TO BE CONSIDERED FOR POTENTIAL PLACEMENT FOR ALL APPLICANTS.

    Applications submitted after the 2026-2027 Lottery Deadline of Friday, November 7, 2025 will be considered for placement on a first come-first served basis through Friday, September 4, 2026.

    After Friday, September 4, 2026 enrollment to all SLPS schools including Magnet Schools will take place directly at the school and only into Magnet Schools for eligible students where open seats remain.

    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.

    When is the Magnet School Lottery?
    The SLPS 2026-2027 School Year Magnet Schools Lottery will be held before the end of the day Friday, November 21, 2025.

    After the Lottery Application Deadline of Friday, November 7, 2025, all applications submitted will be processed on a first come-first served basis.

    After Friday, September 4, 2026 enrollment to all SLPS schools including Magnet Schools will take place directly at the school and only into Magnet Schools for eligible students where open seats remain.

    What are my child's chances of being accepted to a magnet school?
    Applying within the lottery application period deadline 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 parent dashboard by the end of the day on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. 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 to SLPSMAGNETSCHOOLS@SLPS.ORG.

    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 2025-26 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 St. Louis Public Schools District and the school your child is accepted into should contact you in the late Spring of 2025 about any events for newly accepted students that will be held prior to the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

    The default policy of the District is if an applicant is offered placement to any SLPS Magnet School requested via lottery or first come-first served processes, the offered Magnet School is considered as claimed and your child will be assigned to the offered Magnet School requested for the 2026-2027 school year, unless the offered Magnet School is declined on the application system parent dashboard, or in writing or email submitted from the parent email account to SLPSMAGNETSCHOOLS@SLPS.ORG. 

    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.

    What if my child is not chosen through the lottery?
    For Kg-8th General Education (non-Gifted Education) Program Schools, if your child was determined 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 Eligibility for the high school requested or SLPS Gifted Programs 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 valid parent 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 will not 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 offered 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 2025-26 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 via first come first served application processes. 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 an SLPS Magnet 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 lottery. 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 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 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 Schools enrollment does not allow for open transfer from one Magnet 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 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 initial placement into an SLPS Magnet School.

    Have a question you need answered?
    City families can email or call SLPS Student Recruitment Office 314.633.5200

    St. Louis County families are not  residency eligible to be considered for placement into SLPS Magnet Schools for the 2026-2027 school year.

    For school related questions regarding before and after school care, curriculum, bell times or any other questions specific to the school, please visit the school webpage or contact the school directly.