Miami-Dade County Public Schools families who want to apply for magnet programs must do so entirely online starting Thursday, Oct. 1.

The district's magnet program account announced the shift on X on Monday, Sept. 28, directing parents to the M-DCPS Parent Portal at dadeschools.net. The application window runs from Oct. 1 through Jan. 15, 2027. Applications for Voluntary Prekindergarten, known as VPK, are also open for the 2026–2027 school year, according to the M-DCPS newsroom.

For Key Biscayne and Coconut Grove families, the change matters most for two nearby magnet schools: MAST at FIU Biscayne Bay Campus on Virginia Key and George Washington Carver Middle School in Coconut Grove. MAST received a Magnet School of Distinction award and Carver earned a Top Schools of Excellence Merit Award from Magnet Schools of America for 2025–2026, according to a district press release.

The district urged families not to wait until opening day. In a Sept. 24 Instagram post, the Miami Magnet Schools account said the first step is confirming parents can log into the Parent Portal. The account pointed families to step-by-step videos and said the goal is to be "100% ready for opening day."

Preparation matters. M-DCPS magnet and choice programs let students attend a school outside their assigned boundary zone, with specialized programs available starting as young as age four, according to the district's choice website. In prior application cycles, families were asked to select five program choices.

The online-only application comes as the district invests in its magnet infrastructure. The School Board awarded a $20.6 million contract to KAST Construction Company for a new main building at MAST at FIU Biscayne Bay Campus, and a groundbreaking ceremony has already taken place. Across the district, M-DCPS collected 97 Magnet Schools of America awards for 2025–2026, bringing its 14-year total to 807. No other district in the country has more, M-DCPS said.

Families can start their applications through the Parent Portal at dadeschools.net or visit miamimagnets.org on Oct. 1. The window closes Jan. 15, 2027.