‘Game-changer.’ Fayette schools are getting three new magnet programs. See where.

Three new magnet programs will open in Fayette County Public Schools in fall 2025 with a $15 million federal grant, district officials said Wednesday.

Students accepted into magnet programs leave their regular schools in order to study in the specialty area of their choice.

The money, district leaders said in a news release, will establish the programs at the following schools:

▪ Breckinridge Elementary: Innovative Leadership and Civic Engagement Magnet

▪ Crawford Middle School: Leadership Academy for Literacies and Civic Engagement.

▪ Harrison Elementary: Visual, Performing and Digital Arts Magnet.

The $15 million, five-year grant is the largest discretionary grant ever awarded to Fayette County Public Schools, district officials said.

“This is a game-changer,” said Fayette County Public Schools Superintendent Demetrus Liggins. “One of the strengths of our district is the variety of special and magnet program options we provide to families, and we are thrilled to be able to expand those offerings.”

Fayette County Public Schools currently offers 32 special, magnet, and gifted and talented schools and programs, district officials said.

Fayette County Public Schools was one of only 12 school districts nationally to receive Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education, district officials describing it as “prestigious and highly competitive.”

Planning will begin immediately, and the schools will be open to new enrollment in fall 2025.

By implementing the Visual, Performing, and Digital Arts Magnet at Harrison, the district will establish an arts-specific pathway between Harrison Elementary and the existing Visual and Performing Arts Magnet at Lexington Traditional Middle School.

“This underscores our commitment to expanding arts programming,” Liggins said. “We recognize that students flourish with a well-rounded education that promotes creativity, nurtures imagination, and creates a dynamic space to discover, develop, and apply their unique capabilities.”

The new program will build on the momentum that began last year when Lexington Traditional Magnet School received $840,000 from the U.S. Department of Education’s Fostering Diverse Schools Development Grant to transform into a Visual and Performing Arts magnet program, the news release said.

“Recent accountability results reflect significant academic growth and achievement at (Lexington Traditional Middle School),” Liggins said. “We expect to see the same transformation as we engage each school community in reimagining itself.”

Collectively, Breckinridge Elementary and Crawford Middle will create a civic engagement and leadership pathway that spans preschool through eighth grade. Programming will be built with the help of partnerships with community and state organizations to make real-world connections for students.

The new offering is aligned with the district’s “Portrait of a Graduate,” which promises families that the experiences their children receive in the Fayette County Public Schools will equip them to be active and informed citizens who are prepared for success in various fields of study and professions, district officials said.

“During the application process, representatives from the U.S. Department of Education expressed confidence in the district’s vision and capacity to create high-quality magnet programs that attract a diverse student body and provide equitable access to engaging and rigorous learning opportunities,” Liggins said.

“This grant securely positions Fayette County Public Schools as a leader in innovative education and a model for other school districts across the country.”