Glitches in the student selection process for DeKalb County magnet schools have prompted changes for the coming school year, officials said.
Complaints by parents who sought unsuccessfully to get their children into the highly sought-after magnet program helped spur the changes.
Many DeKalb parents have complained that each year students with lower grades and test scores than their children are admitted into an elite program that can put students on the fast track to educational success. For many, this year’s glitches were the last straw.
A chief complaint was that a new, computer-generated lottery system ruled out some students by mistakenly classifying them as living outside the district and by dropping some grades from their records.
Pat Copeland, director of school choice, said the district is undergoing a technology overhaul that will include changes to the selection process. A refined process could be in place by December.
“We’re looking at what was right last year, what was wrong last year and what could be changed,” Copeland said. “We’re overhauling all the technology we provide for our parents. There’s been discussion about updating the process, but nothing final at this point.”
Michelle Bartolozzi, whose children have been through the selection process, said she’s taking a cautiously optimistic approach, without getting her hopes up.
“What they need to do is change the requirements for the (magnet) program, or allow everybody in who’s eligible,” Bartolozzi said.
Magnet schools typically offer more accelerated curricula and have higher success in reading, math and bridging the achievement gap than traditional schools, according to Magnet Schools of America, a member-based nonprofit advocacy group.
About 2,500 students are enrolled in the DeKalb School District’s magnet program, which pulls students from across DeKalb County into 13 magnet schools.
Tim Halloran, who has a teenage son and twin daughters in DeKalb County Schools, said he had hopes district officials would consider more stringent restrictions for allowing students access to the highly sought-after magnet program slots.
“The proof’s in the pudding,” Halloran said. “I applaud the fact that they’re working toward solutions. Making (the process) as transparent as possible would be great so we understand how it all works.
“At the end of the day, I would love my son and my daughters to be able to be selected on merit, not just that they’re lucky enough to have their name drawn out of a hat.”
About the Author
