Application Information

 

Richard O. Jacobson Technical High School is a magnet high school facility located in Seminole.  Richard O. Jacobson Technical High School offers 7 Industry Certified District Application Programs.  In order to attend Tech High, students must apply for placement through the Application Process on FOCUS . 

We offer the following County-Wide Programs available to any Pinellas County Student:

• Building/Construction Technology
• Digital Art & Design
• Electricity
• Game Simulation & Programming
• Marine Mechanics
• Nursing

We also offer the following Limited Program, open only to students who live South of Gulf-To-Bay Boulevard:

• Veterinary Assisting

(Students who live north of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard may apply to Tarpon Springs High School's Veterinary Program). 

The application process starts at the beginning of January for the following year's placement.

 Pinellas County Schools - How to Apply for Magnet & Fundamental Programs

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GENERAL APPLICATION PROCESS - August 2026 Placement

STEP 1 - Apply

January 6, 2026 (9:00 a.m.) to January 16, 2026 (ends at 5:00 p.m.)

The application process starts in January for the following fall placement.  Parents will go online through their Focus Parent account (student accounts will not work for this application process).  After completing questions on your child and home address, parents will select up to five application programs. 

 STEP 2 - Accept Invitation

February 10, 2026 (9:00 a.m.) to February 20, 2026 (5:00 p.m.)

In February, parents will log back into the system to see the results of their applications and select a program.  Three result options may be seen:

- Accepted: the student has a seat in this program;

- Wait listed: the student meets the entry criteria, but at this time the applicant is waiting for an open seat; or 

- Declined: students may be declined due to discipline issues.

Once an applicant picks a program, the applicant is removed from all other program waitlists.  It is very important to make an informed decision as the applicant will have to reapply if the applicant changes decisions on program choices.

In the beginning of March, programs will start calling applicants who received a wait list position.  Our process is to email the parent/guardian first and then call the telephone number on the application.  Newly invited students, by PCS policy, have 48 business hours to make a decision before the programs go on to the next wait listed applicant.  

Late applications are accepted starting March 24, 2026 and are placed in a time-sensitive order (first apply, first seat).  HISTORICALLY, very few students are placed at Tech High from the late application period.

Learn more about the District Application Program (DAP) process by going to the DAP website.