Nashville Magnet Schools...

Offering unique educational experiences!

Nashville Magnets schools are schools of choice which serve as special learning centers for students from ALL parts of the county. Some magnet programs have academic admissions standards while others are built around specialized themes or methods of teaching.

A magnet program can offer unique educational experiences based on students' interests and abilities. All are stand-alone schools, except the Business Magnet housed at Pearl-Cohn High School. View a complete listing of Magnet schools and requirements here.

Q.Who is eligible to apply for Metro Magnet Schools?

Any student in Davidson County may apply for a magnet school. Of course, students may only apply for schools with the grade or age level they will be entering during the next school year. (No applications at birth, please!) Acceptance is contingent upon passing to the next grade at the end of the current school year. Parents are encouraged to find out as much as possible about each program and try to match their child's interests and learning style to the school.

Q.What is the process of getting a child into a magnet school?

A random lottery is held in January for students applying for the magnet schools with an application deadline in December.

Parents will be notified in February and March of their child's acceptance into a magnet. Others will be selected as vacancies are reported throughout the spring and summer.

Students wishing to apply for Nashville School of the Arts may elect to audition or exhibit an art portfolio, write an essay, or interview. This process is prior to the lottery, and students who pass it are admitted without going through the lottery. Students who apply after the application deadline will audition at a later time if there are positions available in their art field.

Students wishing to apply for Meigs, Martin Luther King, and Hume-Fogg must have achievement test (CRT) scores ADVANCED in math and reading; and a grade point average of 85 or above.

ALL students who are applying for the 11th and 12th grades must have a copy of their transcript, grades and test scores (for academic magnets) attached to their application.

Q.When may I apply for a magnet school?

Applications are taken from November until August of each year, but must be received in the magnet/optional school office by the deadline date, usually in December, to be in the lottery. You increase your child's chance of getting into a magnet by applying for the entry grade for the school. However, you may apply for the upper grades as well.

Q. May I apply for more than one magnet school?

Yes. If a student is selected for more than one school, the student is able to choose which school he/she would prefer to attend. The opening at the school not chosen will be filled by the next name on the waiting lists. Acceptance of a seat in one program will automatically remove the student's name from other enrollment or waiting list. The lottery will be televised live and the results will be on the web site www.mnps.org. Parents of students who were selected will be sent an acceptance letter and will need to return the acceptance letter indicating their school choice by the deadline date stated in the letter. Failure to return the acceptance form by the deadline will result in loss of seat in the magnet program.

Q. What about transportation?

Transportation is not provided to MNPS magnet schools; however, MTA buses run to each magnet school from most sections of the county. Please contact MTA at 615-862-5950.

Following orientation and registration, most schools will have a listing of students by ZIP code for interested parents so that they may arrange car pools.

These are only the highlights of the Nashville Magnet Schools program. I hoped it helped. But, if you would like more detail on this topic, visit the magnet schools section of the metro schools website.