Thank you for your interest in applying for a new charter in Philadelphia. All brick-and-mortar charter schools in Philadelphia are authorized by the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia. Each academic year represents a new cycle for new charter applications. Per the Charter School Law, the new charter application cycle has a fixed application date of November 15 of the year prior to the year in which a charter applicant seeks to open the new charter school.
The 2017-18 application cycle for new charter schools in Philadelphia is underway. Please use the links below to access the new charter application materials for the 2017-18 cycle:
Notice of Special SRC Meeting – February 2018
Notice of Charter Application Hearings – January 2018
Notice of Charter Application Hearings – December 18, 2017
2017-18 New Charter Application Instructions
2017-18 New Charter Application – Informational Webinar Presentation
For charter schools seeking to open in the 2018–19 school year, the deadline for submitting all applications and supporting materials Charter Schools Office (CSO) was November 15, 2017. Applications are no longer being accepted.
Timeline/Process
- The CSO held three informational meetings for prospective applicants via webinar after the release of the application instructions in September 2017.
- Letters of intent were due by October 16, 2017.
- Completed applications and supporting materials were due to the CSO by November 15, 2017.
- Within 45 days of the application deadline, the SRC will hold a public hearing to review all charter applications.
- Within 75 days of the first public hearing, the SRC will determine whether to grant or deny each new charter.
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.
2017-18 Applicants
| Proposed School Name | Status | Evaluation Report | Contact Name | Proposed Location | Grades Served Year 1 | Grades Served at Scale | Year 1 Enrollment | Year 5 Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antonia Pantoja Preparatory Charter School | Denied | Evaluation Report | Kathryn McKinley | 4322 N. 5th St Philadelphia, PA 19140 | K-8 (2018-19) | K-8 | 425 | 925 |
| APM Community Charter School | Denied** | Evaluation Report | Donald Price | 405 E. Roosevelt Blvd Philadelphia, PA 19120 | K-4 (2018-19) | K-8 | 312 | 624 |
| C.B. Community High School, Philadelphia* | Withdrawn | NA | ||||||
| Eugenio Maria de Hostos Preparatory Charter School | Denied | Evaluation Report | Kathryn McKinley | 6301 N. 2nd St Philadelphia, PA 19120 | K-8 (2018-19) | K-8 | 750 | 850 |
| Franklin Towne Charter Middle School | Denied** | Original Evaluation Report | Patrick Field | 5301 Tacony St Philadelphia, PA 19137 | 6-8 (2019-20) | 6-8 | 450 | 450 |
| Laurus Academy Charter* | Withdrawn | NA | ||||||
| Learning Curve Charter School* | Withdrawn | NA | ||||||
| MaST Community Charter School* | Withdrawn | NA | ||||||
| MaST Community Charter School III | Approved | Evaluation Report | John Swoyer | 1 Crown Way Philadelphia, PA 19154 | K-4 (2018-19) | K-12 | 1000 | 2400 |
| Mastery Charter Elementary School | Denied | Evaluation Report | Wyneshia Foxworth | 900 W. Jefferson St Philadelphia, PA 19122 | K-2 (2019-20) | K-8 | 175 | 672 |
| Pennsylvania Institute Academy Charter School* | Withdrawn | NA | Ronald Ravenell | No proposed location as of 12/18/17. | 9 (2019-20) | 9-12 | 80 | 320 |
| Philadelphia Hebrew Public Charter School | Denied** | Original Evaluation Report | Jon Rosenberg | 3300 Henry Ave Philadelphia, PA 19129 | K-1 (2019-20) | K-8 | 156 | 468 |
| Qor Charter School* | Withdrawn | NA | Jessica Hasben | 4290 Penn St Philadelphia, PA 19124 | K-1 (2018-19) | K-4 | 72 | 312 |
*Withdrawn prior to SRC action.
**Applications were denied in February 2018 but have since been revised and resubmitted. See below.
Revised New Charter Applications
Proposed School: Franklin Towne Charter Middle School
Resubmission Date: March 9, 2018
Proposed School: Philadelphia Hebrew Public Charter School
Resubmission Date: April 2, 2018
Proposed School: APM Community Charter School
Resubmission Date: April 9, 2018