Students K-12 in Philadelphia have four options for school: School District of Philadelphia, Charter, Private, and Homeschool. Seems simple enough, but there are even more options with each of these choices. Here is the breakdown.

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA

There are two options for enrolling in the School District of Philadelphia.

1) Attend your Catchment School (aka Neighborhood School): the school that connects to your home address.

You can find out what catchment your address is in by using the Philadelphia school finder map (image below). Using this map, you can find your designated school for each grade K-12, as well as an enrollment packet.

2) Apply to a school that’s not your Catchment School. This is called the School Selection Process and you can apply to up to 5 schools. Applications open and close in the fall for the following school year. You can keep informed on deadlines here.

There are different types of District Schools you can apply:

Criteria Based Schools (also known as “magnet” schools) – After students meet academic criteria, they’re subject to a lottery based on space. Applying may also include writing an essay or performing an audition. Certain zip codes are prioritized by select criteria-based schools for the 2022-2023 School Selection Process, however, students will still need to meet the established criteria.
City Wide Schools – These are schools that do not not have a designated catchment. Students from any area in Philadelphia can apply without meeting academic criteria. Acceptance is lottery based on space.
Neighborhood Schools not in your catchment – Acceptance is lottery based on space. Typically, popular catchments do not have space to accept students out of the area.

All schools in the School District of Philadelphia offer tours and/or open houses. Check with individual schools for dates and details.

PHILADELPHIA CHARTER SCHOOLS

There are over 100 Charter Schools in Philadelphia, 34 of them high schools. There are two types of Charter Schools: Traditional and Renaissance. Renaissance Schools accept students like a Catchment School, by the area you live. Unlike SDPS Catchment Schools, however, you cannot apply to a Renaissance School if you are out of Catchment. You can use the Philadelphia school finder map to see if an address falls in one of these areas.

Traditional Charter Schools accept applications on a lottery based on space. You don’t need to meet academic criteria. Some schools, but not all, may give preference to sibling current students at the school, geographic preference for students living in certain neighborhoods, zip codes, or catchment areas, or preference for students currently attending specific feeder schools. Here is a full directory of Charter Schools with a link or instructions on how to apply.

Applications to a Charter School are separate from the School Selection Process. Applications open in the fall and close in January for the following school year. You can find out more here.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN PHILADELPHIA AND SUBURBS

There are over 200 private schools in Philadelphia, some non-secular and some parochial. Niche.com gives an overview of each in the area by grade. They rate schools in four categories: Academics, Diversity, Teachers, and Sports. Search by overall rating or specific categories in public or private schools. You can even search by location when you use their map feature (like below, a snapshot of K-12 private schools.) You are able to zoom in and out to find your area and search with the map.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL

Most private schools use the School & Student Services website to determine financial aid. You can even apply for aid to any number of schools for any number of children using just one statement. Check with each school to know your deadlines for financial assistance submission. For additional grants and scholarships, check with each private school.

HOMESCHOOLING AND UNSCHOOLING IN PHILADELPHIA

Pennsylvania has state-mandated subjects, notification requirements, and immunization requirements for students under the PA Home School Law. If you’ve been homeschooling in another state and moving to Philly or the PA suburbs, you’ll want to check out your four options in PA. Contact your designated school district to find out who oversees the homeschooling process and where you’ll need to submit all required documents. You can get a homeschool starter packet online at the district’s Office of Homeschooling.

Philadelphia has a growing homeschooling and unschooling community. There are also programs in the city that provide supportive learning for those who are unschooling and homeschooling, like Wild Seeds, Open Connections, and Mt. Airy Homeschooling Co-Op.

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