Overview and Important Dates
The School District of Philadelphia offers thousands of programs and services across hundreds of schools. We hope every student Finds their Fit, this fall!
One of the most exciting parts of your education in Philadelphia is how you can customize your learning experience, by choosing a school that’s right for you. Every student is assigned a neighborhood school, from K-12, based on where they live. But if you are interested in any other school in the District, all you have to do is apply!
Any time between Friday September 20th at 5 pm, and Friday November 1 at 5 pm, you can go online to choose the school you’d most like to attend.
So spend some time getting to know your options. Visit schools during Open Houses, especially keeping in mind some of our ‘best-kept secrets’ – high-performers with open spaces for Fall 2020, review schools for Career and Technical Education opportunities, clubs, Advanced Placement courses, or magnet programs for things like music and performing arts. Ask friends about their experiences at different schools, talk with the counselor at your current schools, and review information on each school’s website, to get familiar with your choices.
Time Frame ** UPDATED** |
Activity |
| September 20, 2019 at 5:00 PM | School Selection Application Window Opens. |
| November 1, 2019 at 5:00 PM | School Selection Application Window Closes. |
| November 6 – January 2, 2020 | Receiving School Evaluate (schools and programs with admission criteria). |
| January 6 – January 7, 2020 | Conduct lotteries, perform quality control process |
| January 10, 2020 | Initial notifications available! School District students/parents will be able to view their options in student and parent portals. Non-District families will be notified by e-mail. |
| January 13 – January 21, 2020 | Students with one or more approvals MUST confirm their school choice. PLEASE NOTE- Approvals will change to “Decline- No response” if the student does not confirm an acceptance. |
| January 27 – February 4, 2020 | Schools fill available seats with students from their wait lists. |
| February 7, 2020 | Final notifications available in the student and parent portals for school district students and families. |