The top magnet schools in the nation were recently announced and Miami-Dade County Public Schools topped the list, with the most schools awarded this year than any other district. The Magnet Schools of America (MSA) recognized 44 Miami schools with the Magnet School of Excellence Merit Award, the organization’s highest honor.  

MSA annually recognizes magnet schools and programs for their commitment to high academic standards, curriculum innovation, successful diversity efforts, specialized teaching staff, and parent/community involvement. Schools earning the MSA Merit Award rank within the top 5 percent of all magnet schools in the nation.

Miami-Dade County school system began its magnet programs in 1973, with the opening of a center for the Expressive Arts at Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School. Since then, the district has implemented a wide variety of magnet programs, now totaling 115 schools with 374 programs.

The awards will be presented at the national MSA annual conference April 18-22, 2022, in Las Vegas.

Also receiving Excellence Awards were Florida’s Hillsborough County Public Schools (10); Broward County Public Schools (9); Orange County Public Schools (2); and Pinellas County Public Schools (2).

In addition, Nevada’s Clark County School District (14); Los Angeles Unified School District (7); Connecticut’s Bridgeport Public Schools (2); North Carolina’s Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (2); Louisiana’s East Baton Rouge Parish School System (2); and New York’s Department of Education (1) received awards.