Public District Schools

Overview

District schools are free public schools operated by the School District of Philadelphia. You can attend your assigned neighborhood school or apply to a school outside of your neighborhood.

Types of District Schools

There are three types of district schools: citywide-admission schools, criteria-based schools, and catchment schools.

Citywide-admission schools sometimes have GPA or attendance requirements, but are generally easier to get into than special-admission schools. Students must apply and are selected though a lottery system.

Criteria-based schools have academic, behavioral, and attendance requirements. Students must apply and generally have high scores on PSSAs, especially in 7th grade for high school admission. They may require additional application materials, such as essays or interviews. Schools review student applications and issue acceptances or rejections.

Catchment schools are automatically open to students living in the school’s “catchment” or neighborhood zone. If you live within the catchment, your student is given preference to attend. To attend your neighborhood school, register through the district’s online portal with proof of residency to enroll. To attend a different neighborhood school, students must apply.

For Kindergarten, district schools have limited space and open registration on a specific timeline, generally starting in late January. To ensure a space at your neighborhood school, register as early as possible. See more details here.

How to Apply

To apply to a school outside of your assigned neighborhood school, you must submit an application through the School Selection Process. You can select up to five options, so choose carefully where to apply. The application is due November 4th, 2022.

You should receive your results by email in January. Some schools receive more applications than they can accommodate and may not be able to offer a spot. If you are accepted into any school other than your neighborhood school, you must confirm that you want to attend the school within a week of notification.