magnet school

noun

1. a public school with special programs and instruction that are not available elsewhere in a school district and that are specially designed to draw students from throughout a district, especially to aid in desegregation.

magnet school

noun

1. a school that provides a focus on one subject area throughout its curriculum in order to attract, often from an early age, pupils who wish to specialize in this subject

Word History and Origins

Origin of magnet school¹

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70

Example Sentences

The sandlot-like multipurpose field for SOCES, a public magnet school in the San Fernando Valley, is home to its football team.

From Los Angeles Times

We last saw each other in 1982 at a magnet school in Los Angeles, where I was your student.

From Los Angeles Times

Within a few questions, the first-graders at Williams Science & Fine Arts Magnet school watched the two women hold their arms next to each other.

From Seattle Times

Within a few questions, the first-graders at Williams Science & Fine Arts Magnet school watched the two women hold their arms next to each other.

From Seattle Times

“Being here in this magnet school environment, you get to see an array of diversity. But if you drive 20 minutes down the road,” she said, “you might not see any diversity in the student population or the staff population.”

From Seattle Times