Application Process

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Application Timeline

• November 1 - January 31 -  Application Window 

• March 1 - Offer or waitlist status notifications will be emailed to parent/guardian

• March 11 - Decision deadline, last day to confirm or decline seats for all choice programs

• March 20 - Application window will reopen for choice schools with unfilled seats during the first application window

Students may select up to 5 choice programs with a maximum of two magnet schools

Magnet Eligibility

 Students must meet GPA and test score eligibility in order to be qualified to apply to a magnet program. Students applying to a magnet program must meet the following eligibility:

• Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) on the most recent report card
• Minimum Percentile on Spring STAAR  or MAP norm referenced test

GPA Eligibility

75% Cumulative grade point average 

Exception: For all Talented & Gifted schools and Townview Science and Engineering, 80% cumulative grade point average.  See the Magnet Programs page for a list of schools.

Standardized Test Eligibility (STAAR, MAP or other approved norm-referenced test) 

Minimum STAAR, Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) or other normal-referenced test scores (Click here for charts for qualifying score requirements by grade level)

Acceptable tests include:

• Spring 2022 STAAR Reading AND Math

OR

• Any of the following sets of MAP Reading AND Math scores:

School Year: 2021-2022

2022 Middle-of-Year (MOY) Reading and Math MAP

2022 End-of-Year (EOY) Reading and Math MAP

School Year: 2022-2023

2022 Beginning-of-Year (BOY) Reading and Math

Note: Students who do not have Dallas ISD test scores can provide norm-referenced test scores. Click here to view a list of approved tests. If your test is not listed, please contact the applying school for approval of test.

Magnet Assessment

Applicants who meet the minimum GPA and test score requirements are eligible to move forward to the on-campus assessment process. The assessment will be scheduled once eligibility has been met and all other required documents have been submitted online.

Magnet Campuses will conduct in-person assessments during this year's choice application season that begins in November and runs through January. Campuses should follow all district policies in ensuring safety for all while conducting on-campus assessments.

Required documentation

• Copy of student’s most recent report card (for all students applying to grades 2nd - 12th)
• Dallas ISD MAP Scores or any Norm referenced test scores (for all students applying to grades 2nd - 12th)
• Any existing IEP and/or 504 plan accommodation, if applicable
• Proof of residency (only current electric, gas, water bill or lease/mortgage will be accepted) If you are living with another family, or cannot provide either of the above listed items the following may be provided:
  • Signed letter stating family is living with another family and
  • A utility bill (gas, electric, water) belonging to the person you are living with dated within the past 60 days (Proof of address will also be required at the time of acceptance, enrollment, and throughout the school year)

*If the situation is temporary, once you have moved, you must provide proof of residency for the new home.

Selection Process

The number of seats available for each magnet program will be identified before the application process begins. Seats will be awarded based on the following formula:

• 30% of the seats are awarded districtwide by rank-ordering of applicants based on overall criteria score without consideration of feeder pattern or sibling status
• 70% of the seats are awarded within the comprehensive high school feeder patterns (adjusted proportionally for student population) by rank-ordering of applicants based on overall criteria score; subject to sibling rule or preference

Sibling Rule & Sibling Preference shall only be applied to an applicant who meets the criteria with a sibling who attends the same Vanguard, magnet Montessori, or Academy program and who will continue to attend that school the next school year. Siblings are defined as brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, step-brother, or step-sister living, in the same household.

• Sibling rule shall be applied to the prekindergarten-grade 8 Montessori programs (for more information on sibling rule click here)
• Sibling preference shall be applied to the Vanguard programs for grades 4-5, and grades 6-8 for Academies (for more information on sibling preference click here)

Qualified applicants who are not selected due to limited space will be placed on a rank-ordered waiting list. The wait list will remain active until the end of Dallas ISD's first grading period and student vacancies will be filled until that time.

Dallas ISD Policy EHBJ (LOCAL): For each magnet program, all qualified in-district students shall be served before any out-of-district student may gain admission into that magnet program. Proof of residence must be submitted each year.

Parent(s) or Legal Guardian(s) must actually reside with the student within the Dallas Independent School District boundaries. "Residence" is the permanent primary physical location where a person lives and sleeps. The residence of a minor child is presumed to be the residence of the parent or guardian who has legal physical custody of the child.

i. If the student's parents are divorced and share physical custody, the student's residence is the location where the student lives the majority of the time—with the primary or majority custodial parent (court documents will be required).

ii. If the student is not living with a parent, the Dallas Independent School District requires that a responsible adult obtain legal guardianship through the court system (notarized letters from parents giving "guardianship" to others are unacceptable).

iii. A temporary residence within the Dallas Independent School District boundaries solely for the purpose of attending a Dallas Independent School District school shall not be considered residency. 

Falsifying information on the Magnet application will invalidate the application, and the student's application will be excluded from the selection process. The Dallas Independent School District reserves the right to change a student's enrollment status, placement and/or programming upon receipt of additional information.