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March 18, 2024

Dear School District of Philadelphia Families,

As we approach the end of school selection for the 2024-2025 school year, we want to share an important update about what is happening in the coming weeks. One of the commitments we made to improve school selection after last year, was to support qualified students that did not receive an offer in obtaining spots at schools with open seats. To that end, qualified students who participated in school selection for the 2024-2025 school year and have not received an offer for placement from a criteria-based or city-wide school that they applied to, will be matched with criteria-based or city-wide schools that have available seats and for which they meet the criteria.

Qualified students are those in 5th through 12th grades who participated in school selection, applied to at least one criteria-based or city-wide school, received no offers, and:

• are waitlisted only, OR
• completed an application and uploaded all application documents, through the signature page, but did not submit, OR
• provided grades and attendance documentation but failed to submit the required common transcript form, did not request an appeal, and therefore did not receive any waitlist offers.

Qualified students will be matched with schools that have space, based on the students’ ability to meet the schools’ criteria. This post-lottery review process will not affect any students’ current waitlist status. Families of students who meet the qualifications for this post-lottery review process will be contacted directly with additional details.

Though we are sharing this message with the entire District community in order to maintain transparency around school selection, please remember that this post-lottery review process does not apply to everyone. Only students who participated in school selection and meet the qualifications above will receive further communication about post-lottery review. Our goal is to support every qualified student who chose to participate in school selection in finding a criteria-based or city-wide school that fits them – even if it wasn’t their first choice – while filling open seats in our schools. We invite you to find answers to your additional questions on the school selection website.

Thank you for your partnership. Feedback and input from families has been valuable as we refine the school selection process. Together, we can prepare our children to imagine and realize any future they desire.

Sincerely,

Ericka L. Washington
The School District of Philadelphia
Deputy Chief of Student Enrollment & Placement