Florida Magnet Schools: How to Apply for 2027-28

In Florida, a magnet school offers a special curriculum to all of its students and draws students from outside its normal attendance boundaries, while a magnet program offers that curriculum to a cohort of students as opposed to the entire school.

The Florida Department of Education defines a magnet school as an elementary, middle, or high school that offers, to all students enrolled there, a special curriculum capable of attracting substantial numbers of students of different social, economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds (Florida Department of Education). Themes named by the department include mathematics, science, technology, communications, international affairs, business and performing arts.

Florida county districts use the same idea with local labels. Pinellas County Schools describes magnet programs as specialized programs built around a theme such as STEM, performing and visual arts, international studies or engineering, and runs a separate category of fundamental programs that emphasize a structured, traditional approach with clear expectations for students and parents (Pinellas County Schools). Duval County Public Schools lists themes like the visual and performing arts, STEM and career fields (Duval County Public Schools).

The Florida Department of Education links a Directory of Magnet Schools from its magnet page, and for controlled open enrollment it tells Florida families to contact the district about that district’s plan (Florida Department of Education; FLDOE controlled open enrollment).

For the 2027-28 school year, the Miami-Dade online magnet cycle runs October 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and Pinellas takes initial applications January 5 to 15, 2027.

Miami Springs 6-12 Preparatory Academy, a Miami-Dade County Public Schools school, says the online magnet application cycle for the 2027-2028 school year opens October 1, 2026 and closes January 15, 2027 (Miami Springs 6-12 Preparatory Academy, Miami-Dade). Pinellas County Schools takes initial applications January 5 to 15, 2027, with an acceptance period February 10 to 19, 2027 and a late application period opening March 23, 2027 (Pinellas County Schools).

The Hillsborough County Public Schools article cited here covers the 2026-2027 cycle: its final window opened Monday, July 6, 2026 at 6 p.m. and closed Sunday, July 12 at 11:59 p.m., and it covered magnet programs and Hillsborough Virtual School (Hillsborough County Public Schools). Lottery results were viewable from Thursday, July 23 at 5 p.m. through Friday, July 31.

In Pinellas, Hillsborough and Duval, families apply to the district during its application window, and Hillsborough and Duval run a lottery for magnet seats.

In Pinellas, a family first finds its application area through the district’s School Zone Locator, which shows the magnet and fundamental programs open to that address; questions go to the Student Assignment Office at 727-588-6210 or [email protected] (Pinellas County Schools). Hillsborough families submit applications online at hillsboroughschools.org/choice (Hillsborough County Public Schools).

Duval County describes two routes: the lottery process, which it calls the best chance for admission to a magnet school or program, and controlled open enrollment after the lottery, when remaining seats go first-come, first-served (Duval County Public Schools). On the Duval controlled open enrollment application a family may choose one magnet school and one Special Transfer Option school, and placement in one choice removes the student from all other waitlists (Duval County Public Schools).

Some Florida magnet schools also set entry criteria. Miami Springs 6-12 Preparatory Academy in Miami-Dade asks for a minimum 2.0 GPA (2.5 GPA for its Aerospace program) in core academic subjects, effort grades of 2 or higher, no Ds or Fs in conduct and no more than 10 unexcused absences or tardies (Miami Springs 6-12).

Controlled open enrollment under Florida Statutes section 1002.31 lets a Florida parent request any public school with space, including in another county, while a magnet application is a request for a specific themed program.

Florida Statutes section 1002.31 requires each district school board or charter school to allow a parent from any school district in Florida to enroll a child in any public school that has not reached capacity, subject to the maximum class size (Florida Statutes, 2026). Capacity by grade level must be updated every 12 weeks and posted on district and charter websites. The process must adhere to federal desegregation requirements, let parents declare preferences including placing siblings together, use a lottery with an appeals process for hardship cases, and maintain socioeconomic, demographic and racial balance.

The Florida Department of Education states that the controlled open enrollment plan is in addition to existing choice programs such as magnet schools, alternative schools, special programs, advanced placement and dual enrollment (Florida Department of Education). Districts must give preferential treatment to children of active duty military personnel moved by military orders, children relocated by a foster care placement, children who move after a court-ordered custody change, and students living in the district.

Duval shows how this runs in practice in Florida: its 2026-27 controlled open enrollment opens at the end of each quarter, and the district advises middle and high school students to transfer only in quarter three to protect progress toward graduation (Duval County Public Schools).

Duval County Public Schools provides limited transportation for magnet students, and Florida law lets a district or charter school provide transportation for open enrollment transfers.

Duval County Public Schools says it provides limited transportation for students attending magnet schools and programs (Duval County Public Schools). Pinellas lists Transportation Information alongside its 2026-27 Magnet and Fundamental Policy and Program Guide (Pinellas County Schools).

For transfers under controlled open enrollment, Florida law says a school district or charter school may provide transportation, and each district must give families information on transportation options, including the availability of funds for transportation under state law and any transportation options available in the community (Florida Statutes s. 1002.31). A student who transfers may remain at the chosen school until completing its highest grade level.

In late 2026 the Miami-Dade online magnet cycle is open, Pinellas holds three program fairs in October before its January window, and Duval runs a December controlled open enrollment window.

The Pinellas fairs are the North County Fair on October 21, 2026 from 6 to 7:30 pm at Dunedin High School, the All County Fair on October 24 from 9 to 11:30 am at Pinellas Park High School, and the South County Fair on October 28 from 6 to 7:30 pm at Gibbs High School (Pinellas County Schools). Duval families eyeing a January move have the December 7 to 9, 2026 controlled open enrollment window, with new assignments made December 16 (Duval County Public Schools).

Hillsborough posted its final 2026-2027 window as a district news article on July 1, 2026 and points families to hillsboroughschools.org/magnet for magnet programs; the Hillsborough district office is at 901 East Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, (813) 272-4000 (Hillsborough County Public Schools). Last verified: October 15, 2026, on the Florida Department of Education website and the district websites linked above.