Students who do not reside in the Lamar attendance zone must apply and be approved for a transfer through the HISD Office of School Choice. Phase I applications will open December 10, 2024 and will close February 12, 2025.  Phase 1 lottery notification will be March 20, 2025. All qualified students who apply during Phase I will be placed in a lottery for the individual programs for which they have applied. Qualified Phase I applicants who are not offered a seat will be placed on the waiting list. Students who currently reside in HISD or attend an HISD school must submit an application during the Phase I window. Out of district students are welcome to apply during the Phase 1 window, however, they will be given a lower priority in the lottery.

Students interested in Lamar are welcome to apply for more than one program. You should rank the programs in order of interest. Please know that if you are offered a seat at Lamar for a particular program, you will not be able to change your program of study unless you are offered a seat in a higher ranked program.

Ranking

Students who apply during Phase I will be asked to rank their schools and programs according to their interest. Rankings may be adjusted up until the final day of the Phase 1 deadline. After that date, the ranking cannot be changed. Students will be placed in individual lotteries for each school/program they apply for. If a student receives an offer, all lower ranked choices will be dropped and eliminated. Students will remain on the waitlist for any higher ranked programs that they applied for.

Programs

Lamar offers a variety of transfer options for students. Each option is outlined below with qualification standards.  

Magnet Program: Business Administration

The Lamar High School Business Administration Magnet Program is a unique college-preparatory program with courses designed for students with an interest in all areas of business.

Applicants must have an 80 or above on the district Magnet Matrix and are eligible for HISD transportation.

Career and Technical Education (CTE)

Lamar is committed to educating the whole student, and we understand that students finding their passion is an integral part of their high school experience. CTE programs create an educational environment that combines core academics with real-world applications. These pathways prepare students for success in college and careers by helping them develop the skills, technical knowledge, academic rigor, and real-world experience for high-skill, high-demand, and highly successful careers. Our pathways offer a rigorous course of study which enhance the learning in the student’s traditional core subjects.  

We offer CTE transfers in the following Pathways:

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources

• Animal Science
• Plant Science 

Arts, Audio Visual Technology and Communication

• Broadcast Journalism
• Print Journalism

Business, Marketing, and Finance 

• Entrepreneurship

Hospitality and Tourism

• Culinary Arts
• Hotel Management

Health Science

• Exercise Science and Wellness
• Health Informatics

Human Services

• Child Development

Information Technology

• Networking Systems

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

• Programming and Software Development
• Engineering

Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

• Distribution and Logistics

Applicants will only be able to apply for programs that are not available at their zoned campus.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Students on an IB transfer must complete the requirements for the IB Diploma Programme or IB Career-related Programme in grades 11 and 12. They will be placed in advanced core courses in grades 9 and 10 to prepare for the rigor of the programs.  Students choose a career pathway in grades 9 and 10 and continue with that pathway if they select the IBCP in grades 11 and 12.  Additionally, students must receive an 80 on the magnet matrix to qualify. Students are eligible for HISD transportation.  If your zoned campus offers the IB Program, you will not be able to submit an application for the IB program at Lamar.

Boundary Option

This transfer is only available for students who live in the Wisdom High School attendance zone. Students must live in the Wisdom attendance zone while on this transfer. If the student moves out of this attendance zone, they will forfeit their Boundary Option transfer and need to apply for a new transfer. Students on a Boundary Option transfer are eligible for HISD transportation.

Out of District

Students who live outside of the HISD attendance boundary can apply for only the Magnet Business Administration Program.  Applicants can apply in Phase 1 but will be given a lower priority behind siblings of students currently attending Lamar, students zoned to HISD, and out of district students currently attending an HISD school. Students must have an 80 on the district magnet matrix and are not eligible for HISD transportation.

Hardship

Hardship applications will open in Phase 2 and will be reviewed only if there is space available. Possible hardship reasons include:

• Parent work location
• Before/after school care
• Grandparent care
• Sibling attending
• Finishing cohort final year

Students on Hardship transfers are not eligible for HISD transportation.