Posted on August 16, 2022
Categories: News from SDP

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August 16, 2022

Dear School District of Philadelphia Families,

The 2022-2023 School Selection process opens Friday, September 16, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. The school selection process allows students currently in pre-kindergarten through 11th grade to apply to attend any school with available space outside of their neighborhood or catchment area. The process will close on Friday, November 4 at 11:59 p.m.

The process for the upcoming school year reflects two modifications from last year: the writing assessment used by five schools last year will be eliminated, and the District will resume the use of PSSA test results (which were not available last year) for criteria-based high schools and middle schools. PSSA admission criteria by school will be adjusted this year in light of the learning loss and other challenges our students have experienced.

Consistent with last year, the District will continue to:

  • use a centralized lottery and waitlist system,
  • apply school-specific grades and attendance criteria,
  • extend an offer (subject to space availability) to qualified applicants in the six zip codes that have the lowest representation in four criteria-based high schools (Carver Engineering and Science, Central, Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School, and Academy at Palumbo) and two criteria-based middle schools (Masterman and Carver),
  • and make the online application available in 10 different languages.

Grades, attendance and PSSA or alternative assessment scores will be weighted equally in the process.

The six zip codes, which have the lowest representation of students accepted at those criteria-based schools over the last four years, are: 19140, 19134, 19132, 19121, and 19133 (all of which are the same as last year) and 19139 (new this year). The 19135 zip code, which was one of the six zip codes last year, is no longer among the six most under-represented zip codes this year.

Students currently enrolled in a District school (excluding charters) who did not take the PSSA last year, and students enrolled in charter, private, parochial or other school districts that do not participate in the PSSA, may submit the results of an equivalent assessment before the close of the application window on Friday, November 4th. Acceptable alternative assessments are: TerraNova, Educational Records Bureau CTP4, the California Achievement Test, the Independent School Entrance Examination and the Secondary School Admission Test. The Office of Assessment will determine and communicate PSSA admission criteria by school and equivalent criteria for any other assessments used during the school selection process by the end of September 2022.

The District will host three Town Hall sessions in August to share more about the 2022-2023 school selection process and what families and students can expect. To register and to learn more about the process, school admission criteria and the application, please visit schoolselect.philasd.org. A chart with more details about specific admissions criteria for high schools and middle schools is included below for your convenience. If you have further questions about the process, you can email us at schoolselect@philasd.org.

Additionally, to strengthen our decision making in preparation for the 2023-2024 school selection process, we will:

  • appoint a diverse project team composed of principals, teachers, counselors, assistant superintendents, parents and students to review the 2022-2023 selection process, and provide feedback and improvement recommendations;
  • and engage in a competitive search for an external auditor to review the 2022-2023 selection process and issue a report with its findings to the District.

I want to thank you for choosing the School District of Philadelphia for your child’s education. We look forward to supporting you during the upcoming school selection process.

In partnership for children,

Tony informal signature
Tony B. Watlington Sr., Ed.D.

Superintendent
The School District of Philadelphia

Criteria2021-20222022-2023
CRITERIA-BASED HIGH SCHOOLS
Assessments (Tests)MIWrite was required at five schools

Score requirements ranged from 17 to 22.
Eliminate - The writing sample that was used for qualification at five schools is eliminated.

Resume - English Language Arts and Math PSSAs are required for all criteria-based high schools. Performance criteria for both the PSSAs and any equivalent assessments used during the school selection process will be available by the end of September 2022.
GradesBest grades from four core courses across previous two years

Standards ranged from all As and Bs to all As, Bs and Cs depending on the school, with this exception:

- due to pandemic disruptions, students were allowed to have one grade below the standard for each core course in one of the two previous years.
No change
Attendance95% attendance in one of the two previous school years, excluding COVID quarantine and isolation, excused absences, and out-of-school suspensions.No change
Zip Code PreferenceAll qualified students who applied to the four criteria-based schools (Carver, Central, Masterman and Palumbo), and lived in the identified six zip codes with the lowest representation, were prioritized in the lotteries for the four schools and received the first offers to attend those schools.No change in the process of assigning preference to qualified students who apply to any of the four criteria-based schools and live in one of six under-represented zip codes. Data from the latest four school years was analyzed to determine these six under-represented zip codes: 19140, 19134, 19132, 19121, and 19133 (all of which are the same as last year), and 19139 (new this year).
Wait List Process*All wait-listed students received their numeric order on the waitlist for each school in real time. (*The wait list process applies to all schools included in the school selection process)No change
Other Special Criteria

(Auditions or project-based presentations)
Some schools retained audition or portfolio requirements.

One school (Masterman) had an Algebra I requirement.
No change
CRITERIA-BASED MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Assessments (Tests)No assessment or testResume - English Language Arts and Math PSSAs are required for all criteria-based middle schools. Performance criteria for both the PSSAs and any equivalent assessments used during the school selection process will be available by the end of September 2022.
GradesCarver and Masterman Middle: All As and Bs

All other criteria-based middle schools: As, Bs, and Cs coming from the two previous year’s grade scores in core courses.
No change
Attendance95% or greater of the days enrolled, excluding COVID quarantine and isolation, excused absences, and out-of-school suspensions.No change
Zip Code PreferenceAll qualified students who applied to Masterman and Carver, and lived in the identified six zip codes with the lowest representation, were prioritized and received the first offers to attend those schoolsNo change in the process of assigning preference to qualified students who apply to these schools and live in one of six under-represented zip codes. Data from the latest four school years was analyzed to determine these six under-represented zip codes: 19140, 19134, 19132, 19121, and 19133 (all of which are the same as last year), and 19139 (new this year).
Wait List Process*All wait-listed students received their numeric order on the waitlist for each school in real time. (*The wait list process applies to all schools included in the school selection process)No change
Other Special Criteria

(Auditions or project-based presentations)
Masterman and Carver MS - no writing sample


GAMP MS: Audition


SLA Beeber MS: A group project with other applicants
No change


No change



No change