New Charter Application Cycle

The links and timelines below reference the 2022-23 cycle.

NEW CHARTER APPLICATION GUIDELINES
APPENDIX I: LETTER OF INTENT
APPENDIX II: APPLICATION FACT SHEET
APPENDIX III: PERFORMANCE GOALS AND ASSESSMENT PLAN
APPENDIX IV: CMO/NETWORK STAFF ALLOCATIONS
APPENDIX V: BUDGET TEMPLATE
APPENDIX VI: FACILITY PLANNING QUESTIONNAIRE
APPENDIX VII: EXISTING OPERATOR DASHBOARD

For charter schools seeking to open in the 2023-24 school year, the deadline for submitting all applications and supporting materials to the Charter Schools Office (CSO) is November 15, 2022.

NOTE: The information on this page pertains to the application process to open a new charter school in Philadelphia. If you are seeking more information on how to apply for admission into a charter school for a student, please visit our Application & Enrollment page here.

2022-23 Information Webinars

The CSO hosted three identical informational webinars regarding the New Charter Application process for those interested in opening a new charter school. If you have any questions regarding the information sessions, please email charterapplications@philasd.org or call 215-400-5786.

  • Wednesday, September 21, 2022 (2:00 PM)
  • Monday, October 3, 2022 (1:00 PM)
  • Friday, October 7, 2022 (11:00 AM)

The slide deck from the webinars can be accessed HERE.

Timeline/Process

  • The CSO holds informational webinars in September and October.
  • Letters of Intent are due by October 15.
  • Completed applications and supporting materials are due to the CSO by November 15.
  • Within 45 days of the application deadline, the Board of Education holds a public hearing to review all charter applications.
  • Within 75 days of the first public hearing, the Board of Education votes to grant or deny a new charter at a public action meeting.

Application Requirements

The CSO updates New Charter Application materials each academic year. Applicant teams seeking to open a new charter school in Philadelphia are encouraged to review both the Charter School Law and prior year’s application guidance and evaluation reports for submitted New Charter Applications prior to submitting a New Charter Application. Please note: The CSO does not review or provide feedback on draft applications. Once an application is submitted by the due date, it is considered final and will be reviewed as submitted.

2021-22 New Charter Applications

The table below contains information from New Charter Applications for the 2021-22 Cycle that were submitted to the Charter Schools Office by November 15, 2021. The table has been updated with Application Narratives, Evaluation Reports, and documents from the March 3rd, 2022 Board Meeting at which all three were denied.

Proposed School NameNew Charter Application NarrativeEvaluation ReportStatus
ASPIRA Bilingual Business, Finance, and Technology Charter High School Application Narrative Evaluation Report Action Item
Adjudication
ASPIRA Eugenio Maria De Hostos Preparatory Charter School Application Narrative Evaluation Report Action Item
Adjudication
Philadelphia Entrepreneurial Development Academy Charter High School Application Narrative Evaluation Report Action Item
Adjudication