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Students looking to attend schools outside their neighborhood may have a chance to make their educational dreams come true, as the Philadelphia School District has announced an updated selection system to provide a more streamlined application process.
Starting Sept. 13, students in preschool through 11th grade will have the opportunity to apply to any district school with available seats outside their neighborhood or catchment area for the 2025-2026 school year. The district said it updated its “Find Your Fit” school selection process after parents provided feedback on last year’s process.
“In the 2023-24 school year, we have continued to receive input from students and families on how to improve the school selection process,” said Philadelphia School District Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr., who claims the new technology will make it easier for families. “I am pleased to announce that we have launched a more user-friendly school search tool with a new technology provider that provides comprehensive information about each school, and we have made changes that will allow applicants to better justify their preference, provide more students with a first offer, enable more admissions in a shorter period of time, and reduce the time it takes to fill vacant seats at our schools.”
The new Explore tool was launched on August 5th and is considered a user-friendly search tool that provides comprehensive information about each school so parents have all the facts and information before making their selection.
The district also hopes to allay fears of preferential treatment during the process. “In years past, aptitude and available space were considered almost exclusively,” the district wrote in a press release. “This new system uses a Nobel Prize-winning algorithm designed to generate the best offer based on both an applicant’s aptitude and their preference, which is based on the ranking of their school choice.”
