Magnet schools are a great way for students to get a specialized education. In Pennsylvania, there are several magnet schools across the state, from Pittsburgh Public Schools to Erie Public Schools and the Philadelphia School District. These schools offer a range of programs, from Mandarin and Spanish language classes to pre-engineering and performing arts. If you're looking for the best magnet school in Pennsylvania, you have plenty of options to choose from. To start, you should contact your local school district to see what options are available near you.
For example, if you live in a low-performing school zone and meet certain income requirements, you may be able to participate in the state's Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program. Additionally, families of students who are not currently attending a Pittsburgh public school in the K-11 grade must first complete the pre-enrollment process to obtain the credentials to log in to the Home Access Center (HAC) and complete the online application. Once a student enrolls in a magnet school, they are expected to remain in the program for at least one school year. However, if you're looking for an alternative option, you may want to consider enrolling your child in a microschool or private or online school. For example, students in grades 6 through 12 may consider attending 21st Century Cyber Charter School, and students in grades 7 through 12 may consider studying at Achievement House Cyber Charter School. Pennsylvania also offers several free, full-time online learning options for students, such as PA Virtual Charter School, Reach Cyber Charter School, Agora Cyber Charter School, Commonwealth Charter Academy, PA Leadership Charter School, PA Cyber Charter School, PA Cyber Charter School, Central PA Digital Learning Foundation, PA Distance Learning Charter School, and Insight PA Cyber Charter School.
Private schools offer a unique learning environment that may be smaller, transmit a religious tradition, or offer a curriculum that is not available at your district school. Keep in mind that your homeschooling student in Pennsylvania may still be eligible to participate in sports or activities at your local public school; if you're interested, ask your district about their policies.