HPHS has begun to add more classes and opportunities for students. A new medical pathway, a new robotics class, and new AP courses. Yet, the issue is, only HPHS Magnet students have access to these new classes.
The Magnet Program at HP began in the 2019-2020 year. When it first started, classes were relatively shared. But slowly, as years have gone by, Magnet has begun to separate itself from the rest of the school.
In previous years, students across the campus could take classes within the magnet or community school, as long as they had permission from teachers and counselors. However, recently, getting a class outside of the program you are in, has become a challenge.
As a Magnet student myself, I find it unfair to add new classes that are limited to only one school, especially since many students outside the magnet are also high-achieving and interested in STEM.
“I would’ve liked to take the medical pathway they offered since that is something that interests me for a career,” explains senior Sophia Abarca, a non-magnet student.
This issue isn’t only found within the community school students though, it’s also an issue for many students within the magnet program as well.
There has been a stricter implementation of “magnet only” classes and no more than two classes outside of magnet. For magnet students this has also become frustrating. The community school has pathways and classes Magnet does not.
While magnet students get access to pathways like MESA, computer Science, and Film, many students interested in subjects like the arts, only offered outside of Magnet, find it challenging to request such classes.
“It is very difficult to get classes not in the magnet program… in my junior year. I wanted to take AP Calculus, college classes, and concert band but these courses were considered non-magnet so I was forced to give up concert band because of the [magnet] limit,” explains Sean Soto, a senior in the magnet program.
It’s also frustrating to treat Magnet, and the Community school as two separate “schools” when the school already lacks rigorous classes compared to other schools in the region.
Classes like AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP Calculus, and AP World History, are only offered within one of the schools.
For example, currently AP Chemistry is taught by Mr. Amparan, a Magnet science teacher. Usually, this would be standard considering many students don’t want to take such a challenging course. However, the class itself rarely has non-Magnet students.
The same can be said for AP Physics taught by Mr. Martinez in the Comprehensive school. It’s often difficult to obtain the class if you’re a Magnet student.
“For AP Physics, trying to get the class was semi difficult. I have wanted to take it since last year…I had to talk to my counselor again … Even then I was unsure that I would be able to take the class because our counselor limits us on classes we can take outside of magnet,” says Senior Alexia Carpio, a magnet student who wanted to take AP Physics her junior year.
Recently for the 2026-2027 school year, HP opened up new classes for AP courses that were previously only within one school, to be offered in the other school. Magnet and Community school each have their own classes and teachers for the same course.
Classes like AP Statistics, that used to be offered by Mr. Pina in the community school, as two separate periods, are now offered as a magnet only class with Mr. Gonzalez.
The same was done for AP Environmental Science. Despite Ms. Romias teaching the class for the past years, Ms. Tiscareno was given the subject to teach for community school students, to keep Ms. Romia’s class as magnet only.
I find no problem with expanding our AP class periods so more students have access to them. My issue is taking away AP Classes from teachers who already have an AP curriculum built to help students succeed and pass the AP Exam.
Teachers who already have various other classes, should not have to teach an AP class another teacher on campus is already specialized in. Although every teacher on campus is qualified to teach, creating a whole new curriculum for an AP class while maintaining a high rigor and quick schedule is a vast shift. It can be stressful for teachers to have to take on classes they never wanted to take.
Offering these classes in both schools is a demonstration of the separation between the Magnet and Comprehensive School. There could have been one teacher, with multiple class periods teaching the class to accommodate all students requesting it, yet instead, the school’s separated into each having their own teacher and class.
It’s a difficult circumstance not just for teachers who have to figure out how to teach a whole new subject, but for students who expect to take a class with a college-level curriculum ready.
The main reason why student’s outside of Magnet aren’t encouraged to join magnet classes is due to the district’s rules. Having too many community schools students within HPs Magnet classes could lead to closure of the program.
“If any student says: I want to take these 4 classes in the big school or magnet, then that means… you’re taking up space from that school…so students get pushed aside,” explains Mr. Carcamo, Magnet Coordinator at HPHS.
I understand the logistics behind Magnet centers like HP’s needing to separate their classes to keep the program alive, but in that case LAUSD needs to change its requirements to join magnet schools.
Currently, through LAUSD’s CHOICES application, students can apply to magnet schools like HP’s, but are selected on a point system. The point system is based on criteria like previously being in a magnet school, having siblings in the magnet program, or simply applying earlier than other students.
In other words, although HP’s magnet program is for students interested in STEM, many times kids only get into the program because of siblings, or their parents being on top of the CHOICEs application.
Hence, although the magnet school is for students interested in STEM, the selection process for the program does not represent these values.
Although not on purpose, the campus is separating itself into two schools, harming both students and staff.
At this rate, can we really improve as a campus in general, if not all students have the same opportunities?
By: Monserrath Bucio M., Editor-in-Chief