Magnet Academies

The Criminal Justice and Public Service Academies are a four-year program structured as a school within a school. Our academies incorporate many features of the recent high school reform movement that includes creating a close family-like atmosphere, integrating academic and career technical education, and establishing viable business partnerships.
Our academy curriculum is law enforcement focused and coordinated with related academic classes. We integrate a variety of motivational activities designed to encourage academic and occupational preparation, such as a mentor and internship program, classroom speakers, field trips, job fairs, academy wide challenges, and scholarship opportunities. Through extensive research, the California Department of Education has discovered these types of programs yield students with higher GPA’s, higher graduation rates, better attendance, and higher college entry rates.



Students who enter the Criminal Justice Academy agree to uphold high standards. They are required to perform 50 hours of community service per year, maintain a specific grooming standard, wear a provided academy uniform once a week, and represent the academy in a positive way at all times. The students are also required to maintain an 80 percent attendance rate and earn 90 percent of their credit requirements to qualify.



The Sacramento Police Department has had great success with the Magnet Academy program. The vast majority of our graduating seniors move on to college immediately after graduating high school. Their graduation and college attendance rates surpass those of other students in their schools.  Several students from our program have obtained jobs within the Police Department ranging from public service aides, CSI investigators, and police officers.  The Magnet Academy program has proven to be an effective workforce development initiative that benefits not only the students who participate but also the health and sustainability of greater Sacramento.