2026-27 School Year

• Registration opens on February 27, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. and closes on March 27, 2026, at 4 p.m

  There are no exceptions for late applications.
• Status notification emails sent by April 6, 2026.

Lottery Application

Use your SIS parent account to login to the magnet lottery.

Only the enrolling parent may apply.

Magnet Lottery login

Elementary Magnet School Lottery

Three elementary magnet schools, Bailey’s Elementary for the Arts and Sciences, Bailey’s Upper Elementary and Hunters Woods Elementary, provide programs that enhance and enrich the Program of Studies and permit a wide range of possibilities for expression of knowledge in science, technology, and performing arts. An integrated approach to learning, state-of-the-art technology, and collaboration with various government agencies and art institutions are some of the resources used throughout the program.

Important Information

• Students must be registered in Fairfax County Public Schools before applying to the magnet lottery program. If a student is not registered to attend Fairfax County Public schools, a parent or guardian must register the student at their local school.
• Siblings of current magnet school students must complete the registration process.
• Acceptance into one of the magnet programs is non-transferable.
• Acceptance into the Hunters Woods Magnet Program is non-transferable to the Hunters Woods Full-Time Advanced Academics Program. Students who qualify for Full-Time services and are not in the Hunters Woods boundaries or identified feeder schools will receive services at either their base school or designated center school. The Advanced Academics Full-Time School Assignments page will tell you what school is your child’s Full-Time center school
• The Immersion application and lottery for Bailey's is separatefrom the magnet application and lottery. If you are interested in the Spanish Immersion program at Bailey's ES, please follow the World Language's Immersion application and lottery process .
• There is a $100 application fee ( Notice 5922 ). This fee is charged once the invitation to attend the program is accepted and is non-refundable. For more information, please visit the  Magnet Lottery Application Fee Page .
• Information about Eligibility, Registration, Lottery Process and Transportation is below.

Eligibility

• This program is only open to current residents of Fairfax County.
  • Bailey’s Primary School for the Arts and Sciences: Only students who will be in grades K-2 during the 2026-27 school year can apply.
  • Bailey’s Upper School for the Arts and Sciences: Only students who will be in grades 3 and 4 during the 2026-27 school year can apply.
  • Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences: Only students who will be in grades K-5 during the 2026-27 school year can apply.
• Students must be registered in Fairfax County Public Schools before applying. If a student is not registered to attend Fairfax County Public schools, a parent or guardian must register the student at their local school.
  • The student’s local school is the school the student would attend based on current address/residence. To find your local school, enter your address in the FCPS boundary locator .
  • Learn more about the General Registration Requirements .
• For rising Kindergarten, a child must be 5 years old by September 30, 2026 (Code of Virginia and Fairfax County Public Schools Regulation). If a parent places a child in a private kindergarten program because the child did not meet the public school age requirements, the child is eligible for kindergarten the following year. The principal can promote the child to first grade after reviewing the child's academic records and staff assessment of performance.
• For rising 1st grade, a child must be 6 years old by September 30, 2026 (Code of Virginia and Fairfax County Public Schools Regulation). If a child attends private school kindergarten and first grade the child would be eligible for second grade. The principal has the option to place the child in first grade if concerns arise.
• The Virginia Council for Private Education (VCPE) has authority through the Code of Virginia to accredit private schools. If a student enrolled in Kindergarten, completed Kindergarten, and is promoted to the first grade from an accredited Virginia private school then the student will be enrolled in the first grade without an assessment regardless of age. The parent or guardian must provide a final report card that indicates that the child has successfully completed the kindergarten program at the accredited private school. For information on accredited private schools in Virginia, please visit the Virginia Council for Private Education (VCPE) page.

Registration Process

• Registration for the 2026-27 Elementary Magnet Lottery opens in March. There are no exceptions for late applications.
• Students must be registered in Fairfax County Public Schools before applying to the magnet lottery program. If a student is not registered to attend Fairfax County Public schools, a parent or guardian must register the student at their local school.
  • For assistance with the student registration process or obtaining a new or replacement activation key, please call your child’s school.
• After registering,  activate  your  SIS parent account .
• Use your SIS parent account to apply for the Magnet Program lottery. Your account may look disabled, but you will have access to the Online Magnet Lottery Registration.
  • Only the enrolling parent may apply for the Magnet Program Lottery.
• Before submitting the application, please make sure the e-mail address is correct.
• You will get a confirmation receipt via the e-mail listed in the application.
• Siblings of current magnet school students must complete the registration process.

Lottery Process

• When registration is closed, no late applications will be accepted.
• A computer generated lottery randomly determines the acceptance and waitlist order of those who registered.
• Once the lottery occurs, you will receive an email  no later than April 6, 2026 to tell you about your child’s lottery status (accepted or waitlisted).
• You must acceptthe invitation to the magnet program and complete the registration process or the space will be given to the next student on the waiting list.
• Only the enrolling parent may accept the invitation to the Magnet Lottery Program.
• If your child is placed on the waitlist and a space in the magnet program becomes available, an email will be sent to offer the space to your child.
• The lottery closes on June 17, 2026.
• Acceptance into one of the magnet programs is non-transferable.
• For more information about the magnet lottery process, call the Fine Arts Office (571-423-4540) .

Transportation

The following transportation information is dependent on the adoption of the FY27 budget.

• Transportation is available for students who live outside the magnet school's boundary.
• Predetermined bus stops are finalized in the summer. When deciding which magnet school(s) to apply for, consider the travel time for your family and child. Also, consider the length of travel time for your child to and from the magnet school location.
• It is the responsibility of a family member to transport the child to/from the bus stop location. 

Anticipated bus stops for the 2026 - 27 school year

Baileys Primary

Anticipated Bus Stops	Anticipated Morning Travel Time from Bus Stop to Magnet School	Anticipated Afternoon Travel Time from Magnet School to Bus Stop
Belvedere ES	35 minutes	30 minutes
Bonnie Brae ES	1 hour 15 minutes	55 minutes
Colin Powell ES	1 hour 20 minutes	1 hour 20 minutes
Columbia ES	40 minutes	15 minutes
Flint Hill ES	1 hour 5 minutes	50 minutes
Franconia ES	50 minutes	45 minutes
Lake Anne ES	1 hour 15 minutes	1 hour
Newington Forest ES	1 hour 15 minutes	1 hour
Shrevewood ES (AM only)	25 minutes	N/A
Stenwood ES (PM only)	N/A	35 minutes

Bailey's Upper

Anticipated Bus Stops	Anticipated Morning Travel Time from Bus Stop to Magnet School	Anticipated Afternoon Travel Time from Magnet School to Bus Stop
Belvedere ES	20 minutes	15 minutes
Bonnie Brae ES	1 hour	1 hour 15 minutes
Colin Powell ES	1 hour 5 minutes	1 hour 35 minutes
Columbia ES	25 minutes	30 minutes
Flint Hill ES	50 minutes	40 minutes
Franconia ES	35 minutes	1 hour
Lake Anne ES	1 hour	1 hour 15 minutes
Newington Forest ES	1 hour	1 hour 20 minutes
Shrevewood ES (AM only)	15 minutes	N/A
Stenwood ES (PM only)	N/A	50 minutes

Hunters Woods

Anticipated Bus Stops	Anticipated Morning Travel Time from Bus Stop to Magnet School	Anticipated Afternoon Travel Time from Magnet School to Bus Stop
Fairview ES	1 hour	1 hour
Flint Hill ES	50 minutes	45 minutes
Greenbriar West ES	55 minutes	40 minutes
Hutchison	9 minutes	13 minutes
Newington Forest ES	1 hour	1 hour

If you are applying for the magnet program and would like more information regarding transportation, please contact:

• Bailey’s Primary and Bailey’s Upper: Jonathan Dodge at 703-446-2050
• Hunters Woods: Lavon Carter at  703-249-7100 .

Magnet Locations and Program Information