This brief provides information about enrollment patterns for students in grades K-12 in Philadelphia’s public schools. The analyses in this brief focus on changes in numbers of enrolled students across sectors, admission types, and presence of Career and Technical Education programs, considering differences in characteristics such as admission type (Neighborhood, Citywide, or Criteria-Based), governing institution/sector (District, City Charter, Cyber Charter, or Alternative), or specialty (Career and Technical Education).

The brief looks at enrollment trends from 2017-18 through the present school year, with a particular focus on 2020-21 to 2021-22.

Key findings include:

• As of October 1, 2021, there were 114,902 students enrolled in District schools, 66,890 students enrolled in City Charter schools, 11,374 students enrolled in Cyber Charter schools, and 2,766 students enrolled in Alternative schools.
• Since the 2017-18 academic year, enrollment in District schools has decreased by 10%, while enrollment in City Charter schools has increased by 3%, and enrollment in Cyber Charter schools has increased by 110%.
• Despite an overall decrease in District enrollment, there was an increase in student enrollment in kindergarten, grade 9, and grade 11 from 2020-21 to 2021-22.
• Among students enrolled in District schools, the decrease in overall enrollment did not impact the District’s demographic composition.