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Dear Philadelphia Families,

I am excited to announce that the School District of Philadelphia’s Find Your Fit School Selection process for the 2026-2027 school year opens today at 4:00 pm! This process allows students currently in PreKindergarten through 11th grade to apply to attend any District school with available space, outside of their neighborhood or catchment area, for the following school year. The application will close on October 23, 2025, at 11:59 pm.

I want to remind you that there are a number of critical updates to the School Selection process this year, including:

• changes to the approved standardized assessments
• updated zip codes considered for zip code preference
• inclusion of Career & Technical Education (CTE) preference
• and expanded sibling preference

All students and families planning to participate in School Selection are encouraged to closely review these updates and changes as well as the How Does the Algorithm Work section of the website before submitting an application.

We have also planned activities and developed helpful resources to assist you throughout the Find Your Fit process:

Learn More About School Selection:

• Application Assistance Labs: Get hands-on assistance with your student’s applications at these Labs, offered at schools across the city for families during the application window. Please visit the School Selection websitefor hours and locations.
• How-To Guides: The How-To Guides provide step-by-step instructions for various actions that families will need to take when completing the application. The Guides can be found here.
• School Selection Town Halls: Watch the School Selection Town Hall recording to learn more about the overall School Selection and application process.

Learn More About Criteria-Based High Schools:

• New School Search Tool: Our user-friendly school search tool, Explore, provides comprehensive information about each school.
• 2025-2026 High School Directory: Students can search the 2025-2026 High School Directory to find the academic, school specialty, athletic, extracurricular, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs available at each District high school across Philadelphia.
• Philly School Fair: The 2025 K-12 Philly School Fair is an opportunity for students and families to explore the schools and programs available in the city, ask questions, and understand application requirements and deadlines. Learn more about the Fair here.
• Criteria-Based High School Open Houses: Visit schools in-person and virtually, meet the staff, and learn more about the school’s culture. Upcoming open houses will be listed here.

I invite you to find answers to your additional questions on the School Selection website. If you are unable to find the answers you need, please reach out to us via our two-way communication platform, Let’s Talk, by clicking the Contact Us tab at the bottom of the website. We ask for your patience as we typically experience higher-than-normal call and email volume during this time of year.

Thank you for choosing the School District of Philadelphia for your child’s education. We look forward to supporting you and your child throughout the Find Your Fit School Selection process for the 2026-2027 school year. We are committed to partnering with you to prepare them to imagine and realize any future they desire.

In partnership,

Tony B. Watlington Sr., Ed.D.
Superintendent
The School District of Philadelphia