2024-25 School Selection Process is NOW OPEN & CLOSES October 27, 2023 at 11:59pm.

This 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.

District Students - Apply Here

For students enrolled in an SDP school (excludes Charter, Parochial, & private schools). Click Here for a list of District schools.

Apply Now

Non-District Students - Apply Here

For students from other Districts, Charter, Parochial, or private schools applying for an SDP school. Click Here for a list of District schools.

Apply Now!

About

About the School Selection Process

The school selection process allows students currently in pre-kindergarten through 11th grade to apply to attend any school for the 2024-2025 school year with available space other than their catchment school. A catchment school is the school that connects to your family’s home address, so you don’t have to apply. See more in the School Options tab.

The District’s school selection process:

  • uses a centralized lottery and waitlist system
  • applies school-specific grades, attendance and standardized assessment criteria
  • makes the online application available in 10 different languages
  • opens each fall, and closes each spring – this is the only application window for school selection
  • prioritizes the applications of qualified applicants who live in specific zip codes  (19140, 19132, 19133, 19134, 19136, 19124, and 19121) that have the lowest representation of students accepting offers over the last four years, at the following criteria-based schools:
    • Academy at Palumbo (for admission to 9th grade)
    • Carver Engineering & Science at (for admission to 7th and 9th grades)
    • Central High School (for admission to 9th grade)
    • Masterman (for admission to 5th and 9th grades)

This application process does not include other charter or tuition-based schools like Catholic or Friends Schools.

Process Timeline

SEPTEMBER
  • 9.15: School selection opens at 4pm
OCTOBER
  • 10.27: School selection closes at 11:59pm
NOVEMBER
  • Appeal window opens
  • Individualized reviews (IR) begin
  • Families notified of status (pending, eligible, ineligible)
DECEMBER
  • Auditions & project-based presentations
  • Appeal window closes
JANUARY
  • Lottery, appeal, individualized review (IR) & audition results released
  • Families notified of waitlist status/waitlist offers begin
FEBRUARY
  • Ongoing waitlist offers/acceptances

What's New?

Overview of Changes to the School Selection Process

In the fall of 2022, a diverse project team composed of principals, teachers, counselors, assistant superintendents, parents and students along with an external auditor reviewed the 2022-2023 School Selection process. This summer, the project team delivered valuable feedback and recommendations to improve the process. Here are the changes we are making to the school selection process based on those recommendations:

Revise the existing communications strategy.

Revising the communications strategy will allow the District to provide clear and relevant information earlier anymore often, and to increase families’ and students’ understanding of the process.

Increase the amount of training for District staff.

Increasing the amount of training for District staff will enable the District to partner with families more closely as we navigate school selection together.

Enhance the Individualized Review (formerly LeGare) process.

Enhancing the individualized review process for applicants to criteria-based schools by building upon the LeGare consent decree. For students entering 9th grade, this includes improving the impartial review process for students with an IEP, 504 plan, and English learners who apply to criteria-based high schools. The District is also creating a process for an individualized review for students with an IEP, 504 plan, and English learners who apply to criteria-based middle schools at the entry grade.

Provide offers to all eligible 8th graders who already attend a middle/high school and meet that high school’s criteria.

Eligible 8th graders who already attend one of the below middle/high schools and meet that high school’s criteria, will receive an offer to that school upon completion of the application process:

  • George Washington Carver Engineering & Science
  • Girard Arts Music Program (GAMP)
  • Hill Freedman World Academy
  • Masterman, Julia R. Middle & High School
  • Science Leadership Academy SLA At Beeber

Determine a process to secure spots for qualified students with no offers, where there are open seats.

The District, in collaboration with schools, will establish a process for students who did not receive offers, but who met eligibility criteria and are waitlisted at all of the criteria-based and city-wide schools to which they applied, to receive an offer for placement at alternative criteria-based and city-wide schools where:

  • the student meets the criteria,
  • seats are available, and
  • there is no waitlist.

Enable schools to select best-fit criteria.

This summer, school leaders at criteria-based schools were provided an opportunity to collaborate with District and union leadership to determine their best-fit criteria and the process for filling vacant seats after school selection closes.

Optimize lottery, ranking and waitlist features (for implementation at the beginning of SY 2024-25).

The District is investigating options for optimizing lottery, ranking, and waitlist hardware and software in future years in order to improve efficiency of matches and ultimately increase offers per student. We will share these changes as they are determined.

Updated Zip Codes

As part of the school selection process, the District prioritizes the applications of qualified applicants who live in specific zip codes that have the lowest representation of students accepting offers over the last four years, at four criteria-based schools. This year, the zip codes are:

Same as last year: 19140, 19132, 19133, 19134, 19121
New this year: 19136, 19124
*19139 was removed from the priority list for this year

School Options

School Options

There are various types of high schools in our District, and each has slightly different admission processes.

Criteria-Based High Schools

Each of these schools has its own set of admissions criteria related to attendance, punctuality, behavior, grades, and standardized test scores. Students citywide may apply to these schools but must meet the criteria to be considered for admission.

View Criteria-Based High Schools

Advanced Placement Courses:

Career & Technical Education 

City-Wide High Schools

These schools accept students from across the city. City-wide schools do not have admission criteria and interested students are selected through an impartial lottery process.

View Citywide High Schools

Advanced Placement Courses:

Career & Technical Education 

Catchment High Schools

These schools have an open admissions policy (no criteria) for students who have attended grade eight in the school’s feeder pattern. The schools that the child attends within a certain feeder patter is based on the family’s home address. Students outside the catchment are still able to apply through the selection process.

View Catchment High Schools

Advanced Placement Courses:

Career & Technical Education: 

Dual Enrollment: 

21st Century Schools:

Performing Arts:

All Catchment Schools:

About the Criteria

About the Criteria

Criteria based schools will review a student’s grades, attendance, and standardized test scores. Some notes on these criteria:

All schools will accept the best grades and attendance rates from the previous two school years (SY2021-2022 and SY2022-2023)

  • Grade requirements are for the 4 core subjects: ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies
  • Attendance requirements: 95% attendance rate is 9 or fewer unexcused absences. 90% attendance rate is 18 or fewer unexcused absences.
  • Assessment Requirements:
    • Students applying to 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th grades, all schools will accept the best assessment scores from the previous two school years (SY2021-2022 and SY2022-2023)
    • For students applying to 5th grade, schools will only use the previous year’s assessment scores
    • For students applying to 11th & 12th grade, standardized assessment scores will not be reviewed

Use the following conversion charts to see how your child’s PSSA scores translate to criteria submission:

Approved Alternative Assessments

The approved assessments for School Selection are PSSA Scores for Reading/ELA and Math. Reading/ELA and Math scores from the following standardized assessments will be accepted for student applicants who do not have PSSA scores from 2021-22 or 2022-23. To qualify, assessments must have been taken for the grade level the student was enrolled in at the time the test was taken.

  • California Achievement Test (CAT-10)
  • Educational Records Bureau – Comprehensive Testing Program (ERB-CTP)
  • Education Records Bureau – Independent Schools Entrance Exam (ERB-ISEE)
  • IOWA Test of Basic Skills
  • Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA)
  • Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT)
  • State standardized assessment for a state other than Pennsylvania
  • TerraNova

Application Process

Application Process

What can you do now?

District Student Application Process & Instructions

If Your Student Currently Attends a District School

  • Register for a Parent Portal account* to ensure you can access the school selection application.

Reconcile Your Child’s Attendance

It is important that an accurate record of your student’s attendance is properly recorded so that we can identify how best to support all of our students and plan for their future academic success. Please ensure with your child’s school that your child’s attendance records are accurate and up-to-date and that you address any inconsistencies with the school. If you have questions regarding correcting your child’s attendance records, please call your child’s school and ask to speak with the secretary.

Prepare to Apply

Get directions on how to fill out the application

English | Shqip | العربية | 汉语 | Français | ខ្មែរ | Português | Русский | Español | Việt

Research Schools and Programs of Interest

2024 High School Directory

The High School Directory is one of the best tools to learn more about all of the programs our public schools have to offer. It provides a complete list of the wide range of high school experiences available across our District, and their locations. You will also find the academic, specialty, athletic, extracurricular and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs available at each high school.

 

Non-District Student Application Process & Instructions

Start Gathering Important Information

Any student that is applying to a criteria-based school who was not a District student during SY 2021-2022 or SY 2022-2023 will need to use this Common Transcript Form for their application.

Parents should gather the information that is listed on the form, grades and attendance. A school official (from their current or former school) must complete and sign the form. 

Common Transcript Form

Reconcile Your Child’s Attendance

It is important that an accurate record of your student’s attendance is properly recorded so that we can identify how best to support all of our students and plan for their future academic success. Please ensure with your child’s school that your child’s attendance records are accurate and up-to-date and that you address any inconsistencies with the school. If you have questions regarding correcting your child’s attendance records, please call your child’s school and ask to speak with the secretary.

Prepare to Apply

Review the directions for how to fill out the application

English | Shqip | العربية | 汉语 | Français | ខ្មែរ | Português | Русский | Español | Việt

Research Schools and Programs of Interest

2024 High School Directory

The High School Directory is one of the best tools to learn more about all of the programs our public schools have to offer. It provides a complete list of the wide range of high school experiences available across our District, and their locations. You will also find the academic, specialty, athletic, extracurricular and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs available at each high school.

 

2024-25 School Selection Process is NOW OPEN & CLOSES October 27, 2023 at 11:59pm.

District Students – Apply Here
Non-District Students – Apply Here

Results, Waitlist & Appeals

Results, Waitlist & Appeal Process

Updated information coming soon

Individualized Review (fka LeGare)

Individualized Review (formerly LeGare)

What is Individualized Review?

  • The Individualized Review expands upon the process that was previously known as the Impartial Review or LeGare Review.
  • Occurs when applying to the first year of a criteria-based middle or high school program.
  • The Individualized Review is the appeal process
  • An individualized review does not guarantee eligibility.

Who Receives an Individualized Review?
Any student who has been identified as:

  • A student with a disability that has a current IEP or
  • Having a current 504 Plan or is 504 eligible or
  • An English Learner (EL)

AND

  • Who is applying to the entry grade of one or more criteria-based middle or high schools during the School Selection process.

AND

  • Who does not meet ONE of the three criteria and has elected to waive that one criteria in the application.

How do I get Started?

While completing the online application, applicants will be able to request an Individualized Review by completing the Education Accommodations section of the application, and uploading the Admissions Addendum and necessary supporting documentation.

Individualized Review Parent Checklist:

Who Should Apply for an Individualized Review?

Students qualify for an Individualized Review when:

  • They have a current IEP, 504 Plan or are receiving EL services
  • They are applying to criteria-based high schools
  • They do not meet ONE of the three required criteria for each of the criteria-based schools they are applying to.
  • They submit a waiver asking for ONE criteria area to be waived: attendance, grades or standardized assessments.

If your student meets these qualifications, it is recommended they apply for an Individualized Review, at the time they submit their school selections.

When Does Individualized Review Occur, During Selection?

The Individualized Review determines eligibility for the lottery; it occurs prior to the lottery.

Who Helps With the Individualized Review Process?

It all starts with members of the school the student currently attends. The School-Based Team consists of, but is not limited to:

  • Principal or Designee
  • School Counselor
  • Special Education Teacher or SPECM
  • EL Point/ESL Teacher
  • School Nurse (504 Plan)

What Does the Review Team Look At?

  • Teams from criteria based schools and central office review supporting documentation and academic records, PRIOR to the lottery.
  • The Documentation helps the review teams determine if a school can reasonably provide supports for each student requesting to attend a criteria-based school.

What Does the Review Team Do?

  • The Individualized Review team looks at the student as a whole. A review of  the supports the school/schools can provide
    • A review of the students’ supports  and academic growth
    • The team is looking to see if the student can be successful, provided reasonable accommodations are made

Who Does Not Get an Individualized Review?

  • Any student who did not apply to a criteria-based school.
  • Any student who did not request to waive one of the criteria.
  • Any student who waived the wrong criteria.
  • Any student who does not submit supporting documentation.
  • A student who needs to waive more than one eligibility criteria.
  • Any student who is eligible for at least one criteria-based school they have applied to.

Town Halls & Events

Town Halls & Events

Click below to find details about events you can attend, where you can learn more about the school selection process, ask your questions, and receive hands-on assistance!

Town Halls

School Selection Overview – Watch the recording here!

Individualized Review (formerly LeGare) Overview – Watch the recording here!

School Selection Training & Application Assistance Labs

These in-person events are designed to provide families and students hands-on assistance with navigating the school selection application.

Girard Academic Music Program
2136 W. Ritner St., Philadelphia, PA 19145
Date: September 21, 2023
Time: 3:00pm – 7:00pm

Science Leadership Academy @ Beeber
5925 Malvern Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19131
Date: September 27, 2023
Time: 3:00pm – 7:00pm

Bregy Elementary School
1700 Bigler St., Philadelphia, PA 19145
Date: October 3, 2023
Time: 3:00pm – 7:00pm

George Washington High School
10175 Bustleton Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19116
Date: October 5, 2023
Time: 3:00pm – 7:00pm

Central High School
1700 W. Olney Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19141
Date: October 17, 2023
Time: 3:00pm – 7:00pm

Motivation High School
5900 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19143
Date: October 19, 2023
Time: 3:00pm – 7:00pm

Parkway Northwest High School
6200 Crittenden St., Philadelphia, PA 19138
Date: October 24, 2023
Time: 3:00pm – 7:00pm

Amy Northwest Middle School
6000 Ridge Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19128
Date: October 26, 2023
Time: 3:00pm – 7:00pm

School Open Houses

Visit these schools in-person, meet the staff and learn more about the school culture.

See the current list of Open Houses HERE.

Philly School Fair

The 2023 K-12 Philly School Fair is an opportunity for students and families to interact with the schools and programs available in the city, ask questions, and understand application requirements and deadlines. The fair serves as a one-stop-shop for public, charter, and private high schools to display promotional materials, videos, contact information, and post school-led virtual events.

Where:
Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107

When:
Friday, October 13th (3:00 pm – 6:00pm)
Saturday, October 14th (10:00 am – 2:00 pm)

Register:
Register HERE to attend.

Staff Only: School Selection Virtual Office Hours

Resources & FAQs

Resources & FAQs

How-to Guides

*more how-to guides coming soon

How-to Videos

2024 High School Directory

The Directory provides a complete list of high school experiences within our District and their locations. You will also find the academic, specialty, athletic, extracurricular and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs available at each high school.

 

Additional Resources

  • School Selection Data – In Spring 2022, the Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) published a series of reports on the 2021-22 School Selection process.

Other Resources Coming Soon:

FAQ’s

How To Videos
Tutorial videos on various school selection topics.

Contact Us

Contact Us

If you have started an application and you have questions on how to complete your application, please include your school selection application number in your email along with your question or have it available when contacting the Office of Student Enrollment and Placement.

Please note that response times will be delayed, as we experiencing higher than normal call and email volume during the school selection process. We thank you in advance for your patience.

Email: Schoolselect@philasd.org