School Board Proposes Adding 9 Centers to Magnet Program

Los Angeles school officials Monday proposed adding nine centers to the popular magnet program that allows students to select a campus based on its educational specialty.

After a year in which no magnets were opened, the Board of Education is scheduled to vote next week on the recommendation to start one center in an elementary school, five in middle schools and three in senior highs. If approved, the plan would also expand an existing middle school magnet.

The new centers, spread from the San Fernando Valley to the South Bay, would offer programs for gifted, highly gifted and high ability students and in math, science, technology and music for all students.

All would be carved out of existing campuses, making 2,480 magnet slots available.

But the new openings will hardly make a dent in demand for the current 46,403 magnet seats.

This year, 70,000 students applied for about 12,000 openings, district officials said. Those who were not accepted were placed on a waiting list.

Students are chosen based on a point system with points given for graduating from a lower level magnet, being on the waiting list, attending a heavily minority or overcrowded school, and a having a sibling in the school.

The original 46 magnets opened as part of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s mandatory integration program in the late 1970s. Even after the end of forced integration, the magnet program continued to grow. Among the 20 free-standing schools and 115 centers on other campuses, there are programs for the humanities, law and government, police science, film and the performing arts.

The last three opened at Dorsey, Monroe and Wilson senior highs in the 1996-1997 school year.

The magnet programs cost $64 million annually, including $1,400 per student for transportation. The funds come from the district’s annual state grant for student integration.

Board member David Tokofsky said he was disappointed that more magnets were not being created. “It’s a drop in the bucket,” he said.

The nine new centers will cost an additional $4.9 million.

In other action, the board approved a new charter school complex consisting of 15 campuses in the Crenshaw/Dorsey Cluster. Charter status largely gives schools self-determination by exempting them from state laws governing school districts.

The board voted unanimously only after the petitioners agreed to rework three portions outlining strict admissions and disciplinary policies. Several board members said they were concerned that the charter schools would try to keep the best students, leaving non-charter schools to deal with problem youths.

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Magnet Programs Approved

The Board of Education on Monday approved the creation of the following new magnet programs:

Elementary

Braddock Gifted/Highly Gifted/High Ability: 90

4711 Inglewood Blvd., Culver City

New elementary enrollment: 90

*

Middle School

Bethune Math/Science Technology: 270

155 W. 69th St., Los Angeles

Fleming Math/Science Technology: 270

25425 Walnut St., Lomita

Frost Computer Math/Science: 360

12314 Bradford Place, Granada Hills

Hollenbeck Math/Science Technology: 270

2510 E. 6th St., Los Angeles

Lawrence Gifted/Highly Gifted/High Ability: 360

10100 Variel Ave., Chatsworth

Griffith Computer Math/Science (expansion): 50

4765 E. 4th St., Los Angeles

New middle school enrollment: 1,580

*

Senior High

Lincoln Math/Science: 90

3501 N. Broadway, Los Angeles

Marshall Gifted/Highly Gifted/High Ability: 360

3939 Tracy St., Los Angeles

Washington Music Academy: 360

10860 S. Denker Ave., Los Angeles

New senior high enrollment: 810

Total new magnet enrollment: 2,480

Current magnet enrollment: 46,403

Total proposed enrollment: 48,883