| Students attending Texas Public Schools have many | | | | mean they just like to play computer games. This kid |
| choices. They literally have a plethora of magnet | | | | understands all the latest technology, gets excited |
| programs to choose from. Depending on their grade | | | | about tech news, and may have even taken the |
| level, they can choose to attend a school that | | | | family PC apart. Well, the little tyke needs to attend |
| focuses on providing the "3 Rs" with a slant; the | | | | a Science and Technology magnet program at one of |
| Arts, Science, Technology and Foreign Language are | | | | the Texas Schools! The choice of programs that |
| all examples of the different types of Texas Schools | | | | Texas Schools offer is truly staggering. Following is a |
| that kids and their parents can choose from. | | | | sample of some choices in Texas Schools in Dallas |
| But what is a magnet school, anyway? A magnet | | | | and Houston: |
| school is a one that, while meeting the educational | | | | Visual Arts (grades 4-5) |
| needs of its students by following state standards, | | | | Leadership (grades 4-5) |
| also offers students the chance to study in a unique | | | | Arts (grades 7-8) |
| way. In the beginning, magnet schools were begun | | | | Environmental Science |
| with the intent of ending racial segregation. Kids of all | | | | Math & Science; Tech & Spanish |
| economic backgrounds could attend any school they | | | | Career Exploratory |
| wanted to. In some school systems, like the one that | | | | Architecture & Graphic Design |
| serves many Texas Schools, additional magnet | | | | Law |
| programs have been developed at facilities in | | | | Languages; Physical Development |
| locations that parents may have found less than | | | | Health Professions |
| desirable without the magnet option being in place. | | | | Meteorology & Space Sciences |
| Instituting magnet programs in Texas Schools has | | | | Education & Social Services |
| both attracted voluntary enrollment and achieved the | | | | Leadership Academy |
| desired racial balance. | | | | Business & Management |
| What are your options? Well, there are magnet | | | | International Studies |
| programs all throughout the Texas Schools | | | | Why should you choose a Texas Schools magnet for |
| educational system. All students - elementary, middle, | | | | your child? I confess that I never knew until it was |
| and high school - can choose to attend a magnet | | | | time for my own children to enroll in school. For our |
| program. Some Texas Schools programs "feed" into | | | | family, sending the kids to a magnet school was a |
| one another; elementary Texas Schools students | | | | better option than attending our "neighborhood |
| who attend a performing arts magnet, for example, | | | | school". Our children attend a Performing Arts |
| can continue on to a performing arts middle and high | | | | magnet; this choice reflecting my desire to give the |
| school. Many parents want to ensure their child's | | | | kids some early exposure to the arts, since I studied |
| academic success, and that is where the Texas | | | | music through college. For my husband, this was a |
| Schools magnet program truly shines. | | | | chance to give his children a chance that he never |
| Say your child is really interested in computers. I don't | | | | had - exposure to an arts education. |