JCPS Gives No Sibling Preference. JCPS Elementary Magnet Schools no longer have sibling preference. Elementary school families are divided between magnet schools and cluster schools. This has created family challenges with drop off, pick up, busing, parental involvement, and navigating multiple school schedules and administrations. In turn, schools have divided financial and parental support. 

Magnet School Lottery & Equity. Magnet school enrollment is by lottery for equity purposes to ensure all families have access. Diversity in our magnet schools is imperative to success. Equally as important to school success is engaged and involved parents.  Let's give families a chance to attend the same magnet elementary school especially since JCPS already gives preference to twins and multiples.

Solution is Sibling Waitlist Preference. To balance equity with sibling preference, the solution is to keep the open lottery and give sibling preference on the waitlist. Siblings will then have a greater likelihood of remaining together. Magnet programs already have sibling preference for twins and multiples. We are asking JCPS to give other siblings a more likely chance of being at the same elementary school. 

Automatic Sibling Preference. A great question is why are we not fighting for automatic sibling preference for magnet school families? In speaking with JCPS Student Assignment and JCPS School Board Members, we do not have their support for automatic sibling preference because it reduces equity in the open lottery; sibling waitlist preference is the compromise.