magnet school

American  

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.

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magnet school British  

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

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Etymology

Origin of magnet school

An Americanism dating back to 1965–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

magnet school

But Kearney eventually came back to her magnet school, Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration, after community fundraising efforts and her secondary teaching certification in English paved the way for her return.

From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2026

By far the biggest factor in admission, however, is whether an applicant has matriculated from another magnet school and how long an applicant has been on the waiting list for a magnet school.

From Salon ● Mar. 10, 2026

At the East African magnet school in St. Paul, Marian Aden — who trains other teachers there — makes it a priority to encourage Ramadan-related accommodations for fasting students.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 16, 2024

We were in a theater magnet school, and so we were theater kids together.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2023

Eventually, a letter arrived saying that I had been accepted to a magnet school for gifted children.

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter