before you apply to high school - how to apply to a k-12 school

BEFORE YOU APPLY TO

HIGH SCHOOL

GREATPHILLYSCHOOLS.ORG

Apply for

the 2020–21

school year!

KNOW WHAT’S

OUT THERE

UNDERSTAND

YOUR TIMELINE

DECIDE WHAT’S

IMPORTANT

FIND & COMPARE

SCHOOLS

VISIT

SCHOOLS

APPLY TO

SCHOOLS!

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



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

HOW TO APPLY TO

A K-12 SCHOOL

GREATPHILLYSCHOOLS.ORG

Apply for

the 2021–22

school year!

UNDERSTAND YOUR

TIMELINE

UNDERSTAND YOUR

NEEDS

DECIDE WHAT’S

IMPORTANT

FIND AND COMPARE

YOUR OPTIONS

VISIT SCHOOLS

APPLY TO SCHOOLS

Visit greatphillyschools.org for more information about schools.

The “Before You Apply to a K-12 School” Workbook takes you

through the steps of choosing and applying to elementary,

middle and high schools in Philly.

Use this workbook to identify what you want in a school, which schools ﬁt your

needs, and how to apply. Bring this with you on school visits and take notes.

Understand Philadelphia School Types

District Schools ...............................................................................................................iii

Charter Schools ............................................................................................................ iiv

Private Schools ................................................................................................................ v

Timeline to Apply to Schools

Understand Your Timeline ......................................................................................... vi

How to Find Great Schools

Understand Your Needs ........................................................................................... viii

Decide What’s Important ........................................................................................ viii

Find and Compare Your Options ............................................................................ ix

Get to Know Schools ................................................................................................... ix

Apply to Schools

District School Selection Process .......................................................................... xi

Archdiocese of Philadelphia ................................................................................... xiii

Apply Philly Charter ....................................................................................................xv

Philadelphia, PA 19106. GREAT PHILLY SCHOOLS is not aliated with GreatSchools, Inc. GREATSCHOOLS is a

registered trademark of GreatSchools, Inc.

TIP

This toolkit is best used with the GreatPhillySchools K-12 School Guide or with

greatphillyschools.org.

Before You Get Started

Academy at Palumbo

The Arts Academy at

Benjamin Rush

Central HS

Franklin Learning Center HS*

George Washington Carver

HS of Engineering and

Science

Girard Academic Music

Program (GAMP)

Hill-Freedman World

Academy

Julia R. Masterman

Laboratory and

Demonstration School

Lankenau Environmental

Science Magnet HS

Motivation HS

Northeast Medical,

Engineering, & Aerospace

Magnet

Parkway Center City Middle

College HS

Parkway Northwest HS for

Peace and Social Justice

Parkway West HS

Philadelphia HS for Girls

Philadelphia HS for the

Creative and Performing

Arts (CAPA)*

Science Leadership Academy

at Beeber

Walter Biddle Saul HS of

Abraham Lincoln HS*

Benjamin Franklin HS*

Frankford HS

Furness HS

George Washington HS*

John Bartram HS

Kensington Creative and

Performing Arts HS*

Kensington Health Sciences

Academy*

Kensington HS*

Martin Luther King HS

Promise Academy*

Northeast HS*

Overbrook HS

Penn Treaty

Roxborough HS*

Samuel Fels HS

South Philadelphia HS

(Southern)*

Strawberry Mansion HS

Promise Academy

Thomas Alva Edison HS*

West Philadelphia HS

Promise Academy*

Widener Memorial School

William L. Sayre HS

Vaux Big Picture High School

Building 21

Constitution HS

Dobbins Career and

Technical Education HS*

The LINC (Learning in New

Context) HS

Mastbaum Area Vocational

Technical HS*

Philadelphia Military

Academy

Randolph Career and

Technical HS*

Robeson, Paul, HS for Human

Services*

School of the Future

Swenson Arts and

Technology HS*

iii

HowtoApplytoaK-SchoolWorkbook

District Schools

District schools are free public schools operated by the School District of

Philadelphia. To apply to a school outside of your assigned neighborhood

school, you must submit an application through the School Selection Process on

schoolselect.philasd.org. You can select up to ﬁve options, so choose carefully

where to apply.

See pages xi-xii for instructions to apply.

Sometimes have GPA or

attendance requirements, but

are generally easier to get into

than special-admission schools.

Students must apply and are

selected through a lottery

system.

High schools only: All Career

and Technical Education

(CTE) programs are citywide-

admissions and do not have

entrance requirements for

incoming students.

Citywide-

Admission

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 designated neighborhood

school, register directly with the

school with proof of residency

to enroll. To attend a dierent

neighborhood school, students

must apply.

Kindergarten only: District

schools have limited space

for Kindergarten and open

for registration on a speciﬁc

timeline. To ensure a space at

your neighborhood school,

pages 21-22 for the Kindergarten

timeline and instructions to

Filter schools by type on the Find a School feature on greatphillyschools.org.

Neighborhood

Schools

Have academic, behavioral

and attendance requirements.

Students must apply and

generally must 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.

Special-

Admission

(Magnet) Schools

TIP

Pay attention to a school’s grade levels — you often have a higher chance of admission at the lowest

grade level. For example, if a school serving grades 6–12 already has an 8th-grade class, it may

have limited spaces for new 9th graders to enroll; however, there may be more open spaces in

the 6th grade.

Filter schools by type on the Find a School feature on greatphillyschools.org.

Visit greatphillyschools.org for more information about schools.

Charter Schools

Charter schools are free, independently operated public schools. They cannot

have academic or behavioral requirements for admission, and there is no

application fee. You can apply to as many charter schools as you like.

All charter schools require an application and many hold a lottery to ﬁll their

available spaces. If you are oered a spot, the school will contact you with steps to

enroll. If you are not selected, you will be placed on the waitlist and must reapply

the following year if you are not oered a seat from the waitlist. Many accept

applications through Apply Philly Charter (applyphillycharter.org),

due by January 25, 2021. Other charter schools have their own applications

and deadlines. Visit greatphillyschools.org to ﬁnd all charter school

application deadlines.

Enroll students from any part of the city, with a

lottery to oer admission.

Public Charter Citywide

Schools

Enroll students in their neighborhood “catchment”

boundaries. If they have additional open seats,

students from outside of their neighborhood are

selected through a lottery system.

Public Charter

Neighborhood

(“Renaissance”) Schools

TIP

Need help using applyphillycharter.org? Call the Apply Philly Charter helpline at 1-800-891-3999.

Filter schools by type on the Find a School feature on greatphillyschools.org.

Private Schools

Most private schools require students to apply for admission and generally charge

an application fee. A large majority charge annual tuition, but ﬁnancial aid and

scholarships are often available. Schools will issue acceptance, waitlist, or rejection

notices to families. Schools may be coed or single-sex, day school or boarding

school, religious or non-sectarian.

Are open to students of all religions, though they

promote Catholic values. The majority are operated

by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia though some

are organized by Independence Mission Schools or

independently. The admissions requirements and

deadlines vary by school, but some may require

school records, entrance exams or interviews. See

pages xiii-xiv for instructions to apply to Catholic

Archdiocese schools.

Catholic Schools

Are operated independently according to a wide

range of instructional types. The admissions

requirements and deadlines vary by school, but

some may require entrance exams, interviews or

religious aliation.

Independent Schools

TIP

Don’t let a school’s “sticker price” scare you o. Many of schools with the highest tuition also

oer the most generous ﬁnancial aid. If you’re interested in a school, set up a time to discuss your

options with the admissions director. Schools usually award ﬁnancial aid on a rolling basis, so

apply for aid early.

HowtoApplytoaK-SchoolWorkbook

Visit greatphillyschools.org for more information about schools.

Step 1: Understand

Your Timeline

It’s never too soon to start looking for the right school! Knowing your timeline

will help you stay on top of application deadlines the multi-step processes. For

example, some schools require students to apply nearly a full year before the

start of the school year. For other schools, such as private schools, applying

early improves your chances of receiving ﬁnancial aid.

Two to Three Years Before Enrolling in…

Kindergarten

Children Ages 2-4

• Explore this guide and greatphillyschools.org for all Kindergarten options

in Philadelphia. On our website, you can also ﬁnd high-quality preschool

and childcare options.

• Attend school fairs, open houses or arrange a visit to speak with

administrators, teachers, and parents to evaluate the school.

• To learn more about the timeline and process to apply to Kindergarten,

read the “How to Apply to Kindergarten” workbook on greatphillyschools.

org/resources.

High School

6th and 7th Grade Students

• Explore this guide and greatphillyschools.org for all school options in

Philadelphia.

• Attend open houses or arrange a visit to speak with administrators,

teachers, and parents to evaluate the school.

• Visit the Philly High School Fair! For more information, including event

details, see phillyhighschoolfair.com.

The Year Before Enrolling in a New School

September -

November

ALL SCHOOLS

• Visit the virtual Philly High School Fair! No registration or passwords are required for

this free virtual fair. For more information, including when the event will go live, see

phillyhighschoolfair.com.

• Attend the Philly K-8 School Fair! For more information, including event details, visit

phillyk8fair.com.

• Attend open houses or arrange for a visit during school hours.

DISTRICT

• Apply to District elementary, middle and high schools through the School Selection

Process. You can apply to no more than ﬁve schools outside of your designated

neighborhood school. Visit schoolselect.philasd.org to apply.

vii

The Year Before Enrolling in a New School (Cont.)

September

- November

(Cont.)

CHARTERS

• Apply to charter schools participating in Apply Philly Charter (applyphillycharter.org)

for fall 2021 between September 25, 2020 - January 25, 2021. Non-participating charter

schools may also be accepting applications at this time.

PRIVATE

• Apply to private schools. Some may hold entrance and scholarship exams.

• Apply for private K-8 school scholarships through Children’s Scholarship Fund

Philadelphia (csfphiladelphia.org). The priority deadline is November 15, 2020 for the

ﬁrst lottery.

December -

February

DISTRICT

• District schools with admissions criteria review applications and conduct interviews and

auditions.

• Special-admission schools make admissions and waitlist decisions, while citywide

schools run admissions lotteries for eligible students.

• The District notiﬁes students about initial admissions decisions. Students must conﬁrm

their preferred school. For more information, including the timeline, visit philasd.org/

studentplacement.

• District schools ﬁll available seats with students from their waitlist. The ﬁnal notiﬁcations

are usually available in February. For more information, including the timeline, visit

philasd.org/studentplacement.

• Kindergarten registration usually opens in late January for District neighborhood

schools. Register early to ensure a placement, as seats are limited. See page 22 for more

information.

CHARTERS

• Submit your applyphillycharter.org application by January 25, 2021. In February,

outcomes will be available on Apply Philly Charter and also communicated directly by

schools.

• Charters not participating in APC may also have deadlines during this time. For more

information, visit greatphillyschools.org.

PRIVATE

• For ﬁnancial aid to private schools, submit your ﬁnancial aid application by December

31, 2020.

• Most private schools release acceptance, rejection or waitlist decisions.

March - May

ALL SCHOOLS

• Some schools (mostly charter and private) may still be accepting applications. Visit

greatphillyschools.org for a list of schools with available seats.

DISTRICT

• Kindergarten registration usually closes in May for District neighborhood schools.

• To enroll at your designated neighborhood school, visit the school to register prior to

the start of the school year. Call the school for more information.

CHARTERS

• Some charter schools may continue to accept applications and issue initial admissions

decisions.

PRIVATE

• Apply for private K-8 school scholarships through Children’s Scholarship Fund

Philadelphia (csfphiladelphia.org). The ﬁnal deadline is March 1, 2021 for the second

lottery.

HowtoApplytoaK-SchoolWorkbook

Visit greatphillyschools.org for more information about schools.

viii

Step 2: Understand

Your Needs

Step 3: Decide

What’s Important

Use the following questions to help identify your student’s strengths,

weaknesses and needs.

Questions for

Your Student

Questions for

Caregivers

• What are your strongest subjects? What do you

like to learn?

• What are your weakest subjects? What would

you need to succeed?

• What are three things you want in a school (ex.

music, art, special classes)?

• Are sports important to you? Which ones?

• Do you have any other talents or special

interests?

• Does your student read well or struggle with

reading?

• Does your student have any learning diculties?

Do they have an Individualized Education

Program (IEP)?

• What are three things you want in your student’s

school (ex. after-school programs)?

• Does your student have any behavior issues? If so,

what kind of environment would they need to thrive

in?

• Does your student need one-on-one support? What

kinds of teachers does your student have the most

success with?

• Does your student do better in a large group setting

or prefer smaller learning environments?

From location, school values, special services or classes, and more, create a list of

what you want in a school. Use the answers from step 2 to help you decide.

Step 4: Find and

Compare Your Options

Step 5: Get to Know

Schools

To find and compare hundreds of schools, use the GreatPhillySchools K-12

School Guide or visit greatphillyschools.org for even more information using

your phone or computer. Write down your top school choices based on your

search. Make notes of important information as you find schools so you can easily

plan to visit when the time comes.

Once you have narrowed down your top choices, it’s time to get to know schools.

Try to speak with students and teachers to understand what it is like to attend

and get a better sense of its environment. Ask the principal, admissions staff or

school counselors about the school’s academic expectations, their student to

teacher ratio, how they know that teachers care about their students, and more.

If you’re not able to visit and see the school in person, call or email the school you

are interested in. Some schools host many events virtually such as open houses,

shadow days and info sessions so you can see what they have to offer without

leaving your home.

TIP

Visit greatphillyschools.org to ﬁnd school addresses, phone numbers, and emails.

HowtoApplytoaK-SchoolWorkbook

Visit greatphillyschools.org for more information about schools.

Step 6: Apply to Schools

Once you have completed your visits and reviewed your notes, it’s time to

decide which school(s) to apply to. In the next pages, we have listed the basic

procedures for applying to schools associated with the School District of

Philadelphia, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Apply Philly Charter.

If you haven’t heard anything back from a school after two weeks or so, follow

up to make sure they have your application and any other required materials or

information. Ask when you will receive an answer about whether your student

will be accepted or enrolled.

TIP

Find a school’s proﬁle on greatphillyschools.org to learn about the school’s admission

requirements. Click the “Apply Now” button to apply.

TIP

Don’t limit yourself! You can apply to more than one type of school, and applying does not

necessarily mean your child must attend that school if they are admitted. You have the option of

applying to multiple types of schools, and then making your choice later.

Step 1: Go to schoolselect.philasd.org

Step 2: Select an option

The School District’s online selection process is for students and families who wish to apply to any

District school other than their designated neighborhood school, including all special-admission

(magnet) and citywide-admission schools. Students can apply to up to ﬁve (5) dierent District K-12

schools.

• The School Selection site, schoolselect.philasd.org, contains the following resources:

1. Information about each high school option

2. Open house dates

3. Audition and interview schedules for select schools

4. Important announcements and tips for applying

For information on the application period for fall 2020, visit philasd.org/studentplacement.

• Questions? Please email schoolselect@philasd.org or call 215-400-4290.

For Current School District Students:

1. Log in to the Parent & Family Portal or Student Portal

using your username and password.

**See the next page to learn how to set up your Portal

account.**

2. Click on “School Selection.”

For Charter, Catholic and Private School Students:

Families not currently enrolled in a School District of

Philadelphia school can apply directly to a District school

using this online process.

**It is important to provide a working email address to

receive admissions decisions.**

School District of Philadelphia

ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL

SELECTION INSTRUCTIONS

For the timeline

to apply, visit

philasd.org/

studentplacement.

ONLINE SELECTION APPLICATION FOR 2021–22 SCHOOL YEAR

I am a current School

District of Philadelphia Student.

APPLY NOW

(Apply through the Student Portal)

Note: Applications from current District students can be

submitted until the deadline. Each new application will

override all previously submitted applications.

Note: This application can not be changed or updated

once it is submitted. Only your most recent submission will

be considered.

I am a non–School District I am a non–School District

of Philadelphia Student.of Philadelphia Student.

APPLY NOW!APPLY NOW!

HowtoApplytoaK-SchoolWorkbook

Visit greatphillyschools.org for more information about schools.

xii

STEP 1: CREATE AN ACCOUNT OR LOG IN

• To create an account, all you need is an email address.

Go to signup.philasd.org.

• If you already have a Parent & Family Portal account,

go to philasd.org/login.

STEP 2: LINK TO YOUR STUDENT

• Once inside the Portal, make sure you have your student’s ID

number.

• Click on “My Students” to link to your student.

STEP 3: CLICK ON “SCHOOL SELECTION” TO SELECT SCHOOLS

• Once you have linked to your student, you can apply to schools.

• Click on “School Selection” to enter the application.

• Need help? Contact the FACE office for additional support. Email

ASK@philasd.org or call 215-400-4180.

CREATE A PARENT & FAMILY PORTAL ACCOUNT

TO SELECT A SCHOOL AND MORE

(For current School District of Philadelphia parents only)

The School District of Philadelphia, an equal opportunity employer, will not discriminate in employment, education programs or

activities based on race, religion, color, age, national origin, ancestry, physical handicap, sex, sexual orientation, union membership or

limited English proﬁciency. This policy on non-discrimination extends to all legally protected classiﬁcations. Publication of this policy

in this document is in accordance with state and federal laws, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Sections

503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Law of 1973.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WITH A PARENT & FAMILY PORTAL ACCOUNT?

This account will also grant you access to:

• your student’s academic information, grades and attendance

• the annual parent survey

• options for receiving email, text and phone communications

for your child’s school

xiii

ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

ELEMENTARY AND

MIDDLE SCHOOL

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

ONLINE SELECTION APPLICATION FOR THE 2021–22 SCHOOL YEAR

APPLICATION IS

AVAILABLE ONLINE

(OPTIONAL) SUBMIT YOUR FINAN-

CIAL AID APPLICATION

BY DECEMBER 31, 2020

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s online application

process is for students and families who wish to

apply to any of the following schools:

• Blessed Trinity Regional Catholic School

• Christ the King School

• Holy Innocents Area Catholic Elementary School

• Holy Redeemer Chinese Catholic School

• Immaculate Heart of Mary School

• Maternity B.V.M School

• Mother of Divine Grace School

• Our Lady of Calvary School

• Our Lady of Hope Regional Catholic School

• Our Lady of Port Richmond Regional Catholic

School

• Our Mother of Consolation School

• Resurrection Regional Catholic School

• St. Anselm School

• St. Anthony of Padua Regional Catholic School

• St. Athanasius-Immaculate Conception School

• St. Cecilia School

• St. Christopher School

• St. Dominic School

• St. Francis De Sales School

• St. Francis Xavier School

• St. George School

• St. Jerome School

• St. Katherine of Siena School

• St. Laurentius School

• St. Martha School

• St. Matthew School

• St. Monica (Junior & Senior School)

• St. Peter the Apostle School

• St. Pio Regional Catholic School

• Visitation B.V.M. School

APPLICATION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE

Submit your Admissions Application (required) and

Financial Aid Application (optional) by December

31, 2020.

Step 1: Go to

www.aopcatholicschools.org/ﬁnd-a-school.

Step 2: Complete Admissions Application

(required).

Once you ﬁnd a school, visit their website and ﬁll

out the appropriate application with each school.

It’s best to complete the admissions

application and the ﬁnancial aid application

(online.factsmgt.com/aid) by December 31, 2020.

Step 3: Select schools.

See list to the right for a full list of Catholic schools

in Philadelphia. The details of the admissions

process vary, but it generally involves an

application, entrance test and interview. Once the

school(s) review student records, they will make

an admissions decision.

Questions? Visit aopcatholicschools.org.

There are more options for Catholic K-8

schools that are operated independently from

the Archdiocese, including 15 schools operated

by Independence Mission Schools. Learn about

these options at independencemissionschools.

org/schools and at greatphillyschools.org.

HowtoApplytoaK-SchoolWorkbook

Visit greatphillyschools.org for more information about schools.

xiv

ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

HIGH SCHOOL

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s online application

process is for students and families who wish to

apply to any of the following schools:

• Archbishop Carroll High School*

• Archbishop Ryan High School

• Archbishop Wood High School*

• Bishop McDevitt High School*

• Bishop Shanahan High School*

• Cardinal O’Hara High School*

• Conwell-Egan High School*

• Father Judge Catholic Boys’ High School

• John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls’ High School

• Lansdale Catholic High School*

• Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls

• Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast

High School*

• SS. John Neumann and Maria Goretti High

School

• Pope John Paul II High School*

• Roman Catholic High School

• Saint Hubert Catholic High School for Girls

• West Catholic Preparatory High School

* located outside the City of Philadelphia

Within the city of Philadelphia, the Sisters of Mercy

sponsor a private, urban career and technical

high school. To apply to Mercy Career & Technical

School, please visit mercycte.org/admissions.

APPLICATION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE

Submit your Admissions Application (required)

and Financial Aid Application (optional) by

December 31, 2020.

Step 1: Go to

www.aopcatholicschools.org/ﬁnd-a-school.

Step 2: Complete Admissions Application

(required).

Once you ﬁnd a school, visit their website and ﬁll

out the appropriate application with each school.

It’s best to complete the admissions

application and the ﬁnancial aid application

(online.factsmgt.com/aid) by December 31, 2020.

Step 3: Select schools.

See list to the right for a full list of schools

participating in this online application process.

Once you submit the application a checklist of

requirements will generate to guide you through

the next steps. These steps include providing

student records and, if applicable, applying for

tuition assistance. Once the school(s) review

student records, they will make an admissions

decision.

Questions? Visit aopcatholicschools.org.

ONLINE SELECTION APPLICATION FOR THE 2021–22 SCHOOL YEAR

APPLICATION IS

AVAILABLE ONLINE

(OPTIONAL) SUBMIT YOUR

FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION

BY DECEMBER 31, 2020

2021 K-12 School Guide

• Philadelphia Charter Schools

See list of participating schools at APPLYPHILLYCHARTER.ORG.

For assistance, visit any participating charter school, your local library or call 1-800-891-3999.

Application available:

SEPTEMBER 25, 2020

Deadline to apply:

JANUARY 25, 2021

• One Application • Easy

APPLYPHILLYCHARTER.ORG

2021-22 APPLICATION TIMELINE

Visit greatphillyschools.org for more information about schools.

xvi

Philadelphia Charter Schools. One application. Easy.

Apply Philly Charter is the easy way to apply to TK

Philadelphia charter schools for the 2021-22 school year.

computer.

Create an account and fill out your family profile.

Select the charter school(s) that you want to apply to.

Submit the application.

Parent/guardian’s name, email address and home address.

Student’s date of birth, current school and grade, and the grade

applying for in 2021-22 school year.

To learn more

about a school you want to apply to, check out

the school's profile on Greatphillyschools.org

September TK, 2020

Application window opens

January TK, 2021

Application deadline

Participating charters schools that hold a lottery will notify you by

February TK, 2021 about the status of your application. You will also

be able to view your application results on Apply Philly Charter.

For assistance, visit any participating charter school,

your local library or call 1-800-891-3999.

What information do I need to apply?

When can I start applying? Is there a deadline?

How do I apply?

Go to applyphillycharter.org on your phone, tablet or

Philadelphia Charter Schools. One Application. Easy.

Apply Philly Charter is the easy way to apply to most

Philadelphia charter schools for the 2021-22 school year.

computer.

Create an account and fill out your family profile.

Select the charter school(s) that you want to apply to.

Submit the application.

Parent/guardian’s name, email address and home address.

Student’s date of birth, current school and grade, and the grade

applying for in 2021-22 school year.

To learn more

about a school you want to apply to, check out

the school's profile on Greatphillyschools.org

September 25, 2020

Application window opens

January 25, 2021

Application deadline

Participating charters schools that hold a lottery will notify you in

February 2021 about the status of your application. You will also

be able to view your application results on Apply Philly Charter.

For assistance, visit any participating charter school,

your local library or call 1-800-891-3999.

What information do I need to apply?

When can I start applying? Is there a deadline?

How do I apply?

Go to applyphillycharter.org on your phone, tablet or