Priorities for Admission
Many magnet schools cannot accommodate every student who applies. For this reason, every choice that you make on the magnet application is given a priority that is used as a weight in the magnet lottery. The priorities are used only for applications that are received by the February 29 deadline. Please note that the current magnet lottery priorities are under review and could change before the lottery is conducted in April. Visit our website for updates.
Military Priority
Senate Bill 1604, passed by the 2004 Florida Legislature, provides that students who are dependents of active duty military personnel be given first preference for admission to magnet schools and other special academic programs not available in their neighborhood school. Students must meet eligibility requirements, when applicable, reside in Duval County and submit proof that the student is a dependent of an active duty military personnel. In addition to the magnet application, students wishing to exercise the military priority must also complete the Military Transfer Option 2012-2013 Student Transfer Application and submit it along with the magnet application and required documentation.
Students who use the military preference when applying for a magnet program, and who apply by the February 29, 2012 deadline, may make up to three choices on the magnet application. Each choice will be awarded the military priority. Students who use the military preference to apply for a magnet program after the deadline are assigned to the school that has space in cases where the program is offered in more than one school.
Note For NPDM: Priorities currently used for the magnet lottery may be reviewed and the assignment of Priority 1 for students who live in the former attendance areas of dedicated magnet schools could change before the magnet lottery is conducted in April.
Grade Level Priority Charts
The following charts show the order in which priorities are assigned to an application. For example, an application which qualifies for a Priority 2 receives higher consideration than one that receives a Priority 4.
| Priority | Entering Grades K-5 |
Entering Grade 6 |
Entering Grades 7-12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NP | NP | NP |
| 2 | NPDM | NPDM | NPDM |
| 3 | M | M | M |
| 4 | S | PCS | PCS |
| 5 | SES | PC | PC |
| 6 | PS | S | S |
| 7 | NS | TC | PS |
| 8 | NE | PS | NS |
| 9 | - | NS | NE |
| Priority | Entering Grade 6 At La Villa |
Darnell-Cookman Grade 9 |
Entering Stanton or Paxon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | - | - |
| 2 | - | NPDM | NPDM |
| 3 | M | M | M |
| 4 | PC | PCMD | PCS |
| 5 | NA | PC/GAT | PC* |
| 6 | S, HA | TC, S | S/TC (Paxon) |
| 7 | LA | PS | PS |
| 8 | PS | NS | NS |
| 9 | NS | NE | NE |
HA
High audition, for students seeking advanced placement in 6th grade or first-time admission for 7th or 8th grade at LaVilla School of the Arts. Admission to 7th or 8th grades at LaVilla is limited to HA
LA
Low audition, for students seeking advanced placement in 6th grade at LaVilla School of the Arts
M
Military dependent, for a student who has a parent on active duty. (Students must meet eligibility requirements when applicable, follow application procedures, reside in Duval County and submit active duty orders and emergency data record).
NA
Neighborhood student audition, for nonmagnet students who attend elementary arts magnet schools and wish to continue to LaVilla School of the Arts. Students must pass the audition.
NE
Not eligible, based on student being unable to meet specific entrance requirements in programs like Montessori, Spanish Immersion, Gifted, Algebra I (for Stanton, Paxon, Darnell-Cookman SoMA, or Lee)
NP
Neighborhood preference for students who live in the current attendance area of a nondedicated magnet high school.
NPDM
Neighborhood preference for students who live in the former attendance area of a dedicated magnet school (this priority is currently under review and could change prior to 2012 lottery).
NS
No principal signature, for applications that do not have a principal's signature**
PC
Program continuity, for magnet students who are in a program that continues on at the next school level
PC/GAT
Program continuity, for middle school gifted or academically talented magnet students to high school medical arts
PCMD
Program continuity for middle school Medical Arts magnet students to high school Medical Arts
PCS
Program continuity with sibling preference, for magnet students who are in a program that continues on at the next school level and who also have a sibling attending the school who is eligible to return the next school year
PS
Principal's signature, for students whose parents attend a tour or open house at the magnet school they are applying for**
S
Sibling preference, for a student who has a brother or sister residing at the same address who attends a magnet program at the same school and is eligible to return next year. Siblings applying for the first time are not eligible to receive sibling preference. (Parents completing a blank application form must provide name and student ID number of sibling already attending the school—can occur at any grade level, but parents of incoming Kindergarten students should be especially careful to include this important information).
SES
Socio-Economic Status:
TC
Tiered Continuity is a priority awarded to magnet students in certain situations. The priority is only applicable to magnet students who are attending a magnet school that is NOT their neighborhood school. Although at the elementary level all children participate in the magnet theme; the tiered continuity to middle school is reserved for those children who are at the school on a magnet special assignment.
These situations are:
* Students eligible for program continuity to Paxon or Stanton must make these two schools their first and second choice in order to be assured continuity to one of the two schools. If you choose to make only one choice, continuity cannot be assured. Students who are eligible for program continuity to Paxon or Stanton, but who want to select the 9th grade program at Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts should make Darnell-Cookman their first choice with the understanding that program continuity to Paxon or Stanton is forfeited.
** The purpose of the principal's signature is to encourage parents to visit a school and observe the program to see if it is the best choice for their child. A signature is given to any parent who attends an open house or school tour. Schools are not permitted to give signatures at off-campus recruitment activities. The principal's signature is not necessary when the student is already eligible for a higher priority, such as program continuity or sibling preference, although parents are still encouraged to visit the schools. At Paxon, Stanton, Darnell-Cookman SoMA and Lee, the signature also means that the student is currently enrolled in the appropriate course sequence needed in order to be successful at the next grade level.
*** Title I School—A school where at least 75% of the students are eligible for free/reduced price lunch. The school receives additional funding from the federal government to enrich the education experience for its children.
