Magnet Schools Homepage
Magnet Schools and Programs
Welcome to the Pittsburgh Public Schools Magnet Page!
Welcome to the Pittsburgh Public Schools Magnet Page!
Thank you for your interest in a magnet program with Pittsburgh Public Schools.
Every student in the City of Pittsburgh has identified schools of attendance for grades K-12, based on their home address. This is commonly called a student's 'zoned', 'neighborhood', or 'feeder' school. You can use the School Search tool to identify the school of attendance based on your student's current home address.
Magnet schools and programs provide families with additional options within Pittsburgh Public Schools, allowing students to pursue special interests, talents or career goals. Magnet schools are not neighborhood specific, so students who reside anywhere in the Pittsburgh Public School District can apply to attend.
The magnet application for the 2026-27 school year opened on January 17, 2026. The deadline for students to be included in the magnet lottery, and considered for first-round auditions at Pittsburgh CAPA, is 5 pm Friday, February 13, 2026. Results will be shared to families via e-mail in mid-March.
The annual Magnet Fair was held on Saturday, January 17, 2026 from 9 am – noon at Pittsburgh Obama (515 N Highland Ave, 15206). Click here to view the Magnet Fair flyer.
If your student will be entering Kindergarten in the fall, or does not currently attend a Pittsburgh Public School, you must first complete the enrollment process before you are able to submit a magnet application.
Visit the Enrollment and Registration page to learn more about the enrollment process. If you are completing the enrollment process for next school year, please be sure to complete the enrollment form for 2026-27. If your student will be starting with Pittsburgh Public Schools this school year, enrollment for the current school year, 2025-26, is open and available.
If your student currently attends a Pittsburgh Public School, you do not need to enroll. You can obtain your HAC information via your student's school.
Click here to learn how to access the application in Home Access Center (HAC) .
Use the link below to log in to Home Access Center (HAC).
City residents receive priority for enrollment at magnet schools, however non-city residents can be admitted if there is available space. Tuition is charged for non-resident students who do not qualify for a tuition waiver. Tuition waivers are only granted to children of Pittsburgh Public Schools employees, in accordance with Board Policy 202 Eligibility of Nonresident Students.
No changes to magnet schools and programs are planned for the 2026–2027 school year; however, magnet programs may change in future years as part of Future-Ready planning. Current magnet offerings are not guaranteed long-term, and some students enrolled in magnet programs may need to transition in the future.
Explore Magnet Options with PPS.
Once a student enrolls in a magnet school, they are expected to remain in the program for at least one school year. Midyear transfers or withdrawals from magnet programs are not granted. The deadline to withdraw for the current school year is September 15 of that year.
Students in magnet programs must meet the following requirements in order to remain in the school/program. Students who do not meet these requirements may be returned to their assigned school at year’s end.
- All students must maintain a 90% attendance rate.
- Students in grades 6-12 may not receive more than one 4-10 day suspension, or more than 6 total days of suspension per year.
- Students in grades 9-12 must maintain a 2.0 GPA.
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