There are two types of public schools in Richmond County, and they are starkly different.

One type, the traditional high school, includes some schools failing to meet adequate yearly progress.

The other type, magnet schools, includes some of the top-ranked schools in Georgia. Davidson Fine Arts is tops in the state in such categories as test scores and student achievement.

The success of the magnet school program could be seen in Columbia County, if a magnet school program was started.

A magnet school takes students who are high achievers in a particular area, such as fine arts, science or a technical or vocational program. Students apply or audition, much like at a private school.

These students often have different needs from the average student in the school system. For example, a fine arts school would offer dance and art classes and a technical or vocational school would offer welding classes.

Many consider magnet school programs a way to improve a failing school system. The Columbia County school system is not failing, but it is still not succeeding to the level that it could if it implemented a magnet school program.

Even its highest-ranked high school, Lakeside, is only 29th on the ranking of Georgia schools done by the Georgia Public Policy foundation, a nonpartisan group that conducts scholarly research and analysis of public-policy issues. Richmond County's Davidson Fine Arts ranks first and A.R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet School is 19th.

While such rankings are no absolute indicator of success, they are the best markers that we have to compare one school with another.

Magnet schools offer an increased selection of class choices for the students Magnet schools are not an elitist group either; students of different races and socioeconomic status attend magnet schools.

Students who attend such schools play to their strengths and go further in those areas than at a public school. By focusing on the students' strengths early, the students are better prepared for college or technical school while focusing on what they love to do.

John Klement is a rising junior at Greenbrier High School.