Results suggested many parents and guardians applied for and enrolled their children in the two Topeka magnet schools because they felt the schools would provide more educational opportunities than neighborhood schools. Additionally, most continued to enroll their children in the schools because of the specialized curricula, particularly computers and other technologies in one school, and the science laboratories in the other. Numerous parents and guardians contended they would not change anything in the existing programs. Many expressed, however, they would like to see the programs expanded to other elementary and middle schools. The interview data reflected some alignment with relevant information ascertained from district documents, districts of similar size to Topeka with magnet schools, and national literature. Topeka Public School officials were accurate in predicting many parents and guardians would be attracted to magnet schools with specialized themes and curricula. Of less importance were factors which officials had originally thought may influence parents, such as full-day kindergarten, child care opportunities, and the locations of the schools. Among suggested recommendations were to
use study results to plan future marketing strategies, to evaluate equity issues, and to assess and modify the existing magnet school programs.