The first magnet deadline to apply for guaranteed consideration in the first round ends today, Dec. 18, at 11:59 p.m. Any applications received after today’s deadline will be considered only for schools where there is still space available.

Completed applications can be submitted in the following three ways:

* Submit it online at hisdchoice.com (online applications provide more options for tracking and staying up-to-date)

* Hand-deliver or send by U.S. mail to the Office of School Choice at 4400 West 18th Street, Houston, TX 77092

* Scan the paper application and e-mail it to magnet@houstonisd.org, along with the required documents

The big day is March 24, 2016. That’s when parents will learn the status of their application – results will be available online and also sent by mail. If a child has been offered a seat in a program, the parents have two weeks to provide proof of residence and sign an entrance agreement.

If their student is placed on a waiting list, parents can monitor changes in application status throughout the summer, at which time they may be able to submit additional applications to programs with available seats.

For more information on the magnet application process, please contact HISD’s Office of School Choice at 713-556-6947.