news-record.com

Success in measuring Guilford County Schools' extensive magnet school program may well come down to relevance and cost.

Once again, school officials, with input from parents, students and faculty, will try to determine if the spotty academic results at the county's 42 magnet schools justify the millions of dollars spent on them.

As with previous studies, finding those answers will be complicated by the fact that unique learning experiences in nontraditional settings require special parameters.

Of immediate concern is what to do about failing magnet programs at four elementary schools. However, they aren't alone. In all, 11 magnet schools are falling behind in meeting testing and diversity goals.

Local schools have offered a variety of magnet options since the 1980s that now include a wide range of subjects, including culinary arts, performing arts, science, language-immersion programs and global studies.

Feedback, over the years, has produced a mixed bag suggesting a broad range of possible fixes. For example, former Superintendent Terry Grier proposed placing underachieving magnets on probation, freezing their funding, prohibiting new enrollment and tracking student achievement.

School board Vice Chairman Amos Quick appears to be on the right track this time, asking if programs are relevant and at what price. Local schools, he notes, can be saddled with substantial costs when federal grants run out. And transportation costs run high.

But for at least some of the more than 7,000 students enrolled in such diverse classes and their parents, the opportunity to choose a magnet school can make the difference between academic failure and success.

While close scrutiny is in order, the solution may be in fine-tuning a proven, worthwhile program rather than making wholesale changes.