Current Wait List Status for 2012-2013 School Year
Frequently Asked Questions About the Magnet Wait List.

PLEASE inform the Office of Magnet Programs if your phone number changed after submitting the application.

• What does it mean to be on a wait list?
  Magnet programs have a limited number of seats.  When more applicants qualify for a magnet program than there are seats to accommodate them, a random lottery selection process is used to fill the available seats and create a wait list for the program.  Placement on the wait list means that your child qualified for the program and, as a result of the lottery process, was not selected for initial placement.  The wait lists are maintained until Tuesday, January 29, 2013.

• What does the wait-list number mean?
  The wait-list number indicates your child’s position on the wait list.  You will need this number when checking on your child’s wait-list status.  Your child’s wait-list number will not change even though the number of students on the wait list may decrease as placements are offered.

• How can I check the status of the wait list?
  The wait-list status for all programs will be posted on the Office of Magnet Programs’ Web site (www.bcps.org/offices/omp) beginning in mid-April. The posted wait list will identify the next wait-list number to be contacted if a program seat becomes available, as well as the next scheduled update.  It is recommended that parents/guardians frequently check the wait list for updates.

• What are my child’s chances of getting into a program from the wait list?
  If an applicant is offered placement in a magnet program and declines the seat, the Office of Magnet Programs will contact the next applicant on the wait list by telephone.  This process continues until Tuesday, January 29, 2013.  It is impossible to predict how many, if any, applicants may decline a placement offer.  If all of the seats in a program are filled, no additional applicants will be offered placement from the wait list.

• How will I be contacted with a placement offer?
  The Office of Magnet Programs will contact parents/guardians of wait-listed applicants by telephone using the number provided on the application.  If no one is available to take the call, the office staff must be able to leave a message.  It is the parents’/guardians’ responsibility to inform the Office of Magnet Programs if the phone number changes. The parent/guardian will have five (5) business daysin which to respond to the placement offer.  After five (5) business days, the offer will be revoked and the next wait-listed applicant will be offered the placement.

• If I accept a seat in one program, will my child be removed from the wait list(s) for other programs?
  No.  Unless you inform the Office of Magnet Programs that you want your child to be removed from the list(s), your child will remain on the other wait list(s) until you are offered a seat or until the wait list is no longer active.  If you decline a placement offer for a program, your child will be removed from only that program’s list.

• If I have two or more children on a wait list for the same magnet program or school and one is offered a seat, will the sibling(s) be offered placement at the same time?
  No.  Sibling applicants receive no priority placement from the wait lists.  Applicants can only be offered placement in the order in which they appear on the wait list.

• If I accept a magnet placement offer from the wait list, what do I need to do next?
  You will need to contact the school within five (5) business days of accepting the placement to schedule a registration appointment.  Failure to contact the school to schedule registration within the five (5) day time limit may result in forfeiture of the program seat.
  PLEASE NOTE: 

  • Enrollment in a magnet program is contingent upon proof of eligibility to attend a Baltimore County public school. 
  • The parent/guardian is responsible for providing transportation to and from the magnet program if transportation is not provided by Baltimore County Public Schools.
  • When placement is accepted in a magnet program that is not in the child’s zoned (neighborhood) school, the child will be enrolled as a “Special Transfer” student under the terms and conditions of Board Policy and Superintendent’s Rule 5140 (available at http://www.bcps.org/system/policies_rules/).
  • For students with active educational plans (i.e., IEP, 504, ELL), enrollment into any magnet program is contingent upon the school’s ability to meet the accommodation requirements as documented in the plan.
• What should I do if my child is not offered placement from the wait list by the start of the 2012–2013 school year?
  If your child has not been offered placement in a magnet program by the start of the 2011–2012 school year, you will need to enroll your child in his/her zoned (neighborhood) school or any other school where your child has been offered placement.
  
  
• Could my child be offered a seat after the 2012–2013 school year starts?
  Yes.  Placement offers may be made until Tuesday, January 29, 2013.  If you accept a magnet program placement after the start of the school year, your child will be permitted to transfer schools at that time.  The school will assist parents/guardians in the transfer and registration process.
  
  
• If my child is still on a wait list in the fall of 2012, do I need to apply for the 2013–2014 school year?
  To be considered for a magnet program for the 2013–2014 school year, you MUST apply before the application deadline, November 30, 2012.  Some schools permit application after the entry grade and others do not.  Review the magnet brochure for specific school information.
  
  
• Will I jeopardize my child’s chances of being offered a seat from the current wait list if I apply for a magnet program for 2013–2014?
  No. Your child’s status on the 2012–2013 wait list will remain active until Tuesday, January 29, 2013, regardless of whether or not you submit an application for the 2013–2014 school year.
  
  
• Do students on the current year’s wait list receive preference in the next magnet application cycle?
  No.  All new applications are given equal consideration.  All applicants must qualify for a given program and, if there are fewer seats than qualified applicants, program seats will be filled through a random lottery process.
  
  
• What if I have other questions?
  Please contact the Office of Magnet Programs at (410) 887-4127 or visit the Office of Magnet Programs’ Web site at www.bcps.org/offices/omp.