Magnet transfers

Students that want to transfer after accepting a magnet seat must wait until the new school year (Board policy EHBB Local). Families can apply for a different magnet program or school during the Choice of School process for the next school year.

Out of District transfer exceptions 

Students who did not live within the district during the application windows and were enrolled in a similar magnet program in their old district can ask for a program transfer. Transfer requests are approved if:

• seats are available
• there is not a waitlist
• records show that the student was doing well in the previous district’s program

To make a request, parents must submit the Magnet Out of District Program Transfer Form MP-201 (email gisdmagnetprograms@garlandisd.net for the form).

Elementary exceptions

After the accept/decline deadline, transfers will only be accepted for students who have moved into a new transportation area as a similar magnet program if seats are available (ex. MST to MST). Students must stay in their magnet program. Qualifying programs are:

• Elementary MST (Beaver and Watson)
• Montessori (Luna and Herfurth)
• Academy for Excellence (Hillside, Kimberlin, Walnut Glen)

Email the magnet office at gisdmagnetprograms@garlandisd.net  to request a transfer.

High school exceptions

After the accept/decline deadline, program changes will only be accepted for Collegiate/ECHS programs (including school transfers). Students may change programs if:

• they have moved into a new transportation area
• they want to attend their new neighborhood Collegiate/ECHS program

Students requesting a transfer to a Collegiate program must meet the Collegiate application requirements. P-TECH transfers will be looked at on a case-by-case basis. P-TECH degrees and certificates are industry-specific and cannot always transfer to other schools. The program at the new school must have open seats available. Students must have passed all classes and have no out-of-school suspensions or AEC placements. Students must meet with the new school’s magnet advisor and counselor to create a graduation plan that includes all required high school and/or college courses.

Email the magnet office at gisdmagnetprograms@garlandisd.net to request a transfer.

Note: There will be no other high school magnet transfers allowed. Students can apply for the next school year during the magnet application window if they meet the requirements.

Magnet probation and exit

Listed below are the student expectations, probation process, and exit process for magnet programs that have entrance requirements. Students in magnets must meet student expectations to stay in their program. All magnet program students are expected to:

• keep attendance (based on state and local district guidelines)
• make report card grades of 70 or higher in all courses for each grading cycle
• pass all sections of the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR)
• follow all Student Code of Conduct guidelines*
• follow any magnet program-specific rules that each campus may have
• have a Tier 1 status for academics and behavior (Elementary)

*Examples of noncompliance: continual misconduct, repeated in-school and/or out-of-school suspensions, placement in the Alternative Education Center and/or expulsion.

If a student fails to meet these expectations, they will begin the probation process below.

Elementary probation process

1. A Magnet Student Review Meeting is held. The Magnet Review Committee will include an administrator, classroom teacher and the school counselor/magnet advisor (when appropriate). Parents will be told in writing about the meeting and will serve as a member of the committee.
2. The Magnet Review Committee will work together to create a probationary plan to help the student improve in the areas where magnet student expectations were not met.  The plan will include research-based intervention strategies to target areas of improvement, specific data collection procedures to measure student progress weekly, and measurable goals for showing progress.
3. At the end of each grading cycle, the Magnet Review Committee will review the student’s progress. They will decide if the student’s probationary status should be removed or extended, or if the student should exit the program.

Secondary probation process

Failing grades

1. Failing a course in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd cycle: A school representative will send a message alerting the family that the student is on probation and that failure at the end of the semester and/or year will result in an exit from the magnet program.
2. Failing a course with a grade below 60 or failing multiple courses/cycles: A school representative will set up a Magnet Student Review Meeting. The Magnet Review Committee will include school representative(s), the student and a parent/guardian.
3. The Magnet Review Committee will work together to create a probationary plan to help the student improve in the areas where magnet student expectations were not met. 
4. At the end of the grading cycle/semester, if a student passes all courses, the student is off probation. If a student does not pass all courses, the probation plan will continue.
5. Failing a required course at the end-of-year (EOY) will result in an exit from the program.

Failing STAAR scores

Failing any of the STAAR test sections may lead to a Magnet Student Review Meeting. The Magnet Review Committee will discuss how to help the student improve (remediation). This can be done through reviewing class placement and STAAR expectations, or through a decision to exit the student based on needs. 

Poor conduct

1. Students that fail to meet student code of conduct expectations may need a Magnet Student Review Meeting. The Magnet Review Committee will discuss student conduct expectations.
2. The Magnet Review Committee will work together to create a probationary plan to help the student improve in the areas where magnet student expectations were not met.
3. The probation plan will continue through the end of the school year. Any additional noncompliance that leads to a suspension, placement in the Alternative Education Center, and/or expulsion may lead to an exit.

Exit policies

A Magnet Exit Meeting will be scheduled if a student does not meet the probation plan and the Magnet Advisor/Review Committee recommends that a student exit the program. The Exit Committee will include a campus administrator, school counselor, magnet advisor and magnet teacher (when appropriate). Parents will be told about the meeting and will serve as a member of the committee.

Students exiting magnet programs:

• can continue getting transportation to the magnet campus until the end of the semester.
• are not able to reapply to the program for one school year.
• may be exited from the magnet program in grade 12, but will be allowed to continue at the magnet campus for the rest of the year.

Choosing a new school to attend

If the Choice of School process has not happened yet, the parent will use the Choice of School form in Skyward to select a school for the child to attend in the upcoming year.

If the Choice of School period has closed, the parent will complete an in-district transfer form and the transfer will happen at the beginning of the following school year. Parents should know that transfers to the school of choice will only be approved if space is available in that school. Student Services will work with the family to decide the best school for the student.

Appeals

A student or parent that wants to appeal the decision of the Magnet Student Review Committee should schedule a conference with a district magnet administrator within 15 days of the review committee’s decisions. Contact the GISD Magnet Department at 972-487-3082 or at GISDMagnetPrograms@garlandisd.net to set up a meeting.

The magnet administrator will meet with the student and/or parent between 1-10 days after the request. After that, the admin will have ten days to respond.

• Disciplinary consequences will still continue during the appeal process.
• All complaints and appeals will be heard according to FNG(LEGAL) and FNG(LOCAL).
• Schedule changes may happen immediately. If an exit decision is reversed, a student’s schedule will be changed back to meet the magnet program requirements. Exact teachers and class periods are not guaranteed.