2023-2024 LOTTERY APPLICATION (NEXT YEAR)
GRADES K-12
Available September 23, 2022 – January 31, 2023
*All applications submitted after the lottery deadline of January 31, 2023 are entered into the bottom of the waitlist on a first-come, first-serve basis.
**The application for the current 2022-2023 school year is still available and is linked at the bottom of this page.
Governed by Pennsylvania Charter School Law, admission into Philadelphia Performing Arts is based on a Lottery that is conducted each year.
If you need assistance in applying, please contact the Admissions Office and we will schedule you for an appointment. If there is a request for language translation, or any other special request, please contact the Admissions Office so we may accommodate you.
Admissions Office: (267) 428-2224, prompt 6; admissions.ppa@stringtheoryschools.org
Tour the East Campus (Grades K-1): CLICK HERE
Tour the West Campus (Grades 2-5): CLICK HERE
Tour the Vine Campus (Grades 6-12): CLICK HERE
2023-2024 VIRTUAL LOTTERY (Grades K-12)
Date: Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Time: 4:00 P.M.
Location:
Weblink of the live streamed lottery will be shared with all applicant families who submit an application by the deadline of January 31, 2023 and with anyone who requests to attend.
REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR THE 2023-2024 LOTTERY
● Kindergarten applicants MUST be five (5) years old on or before September 1, 2023.
● All lottery applicants must reside in Philadelphia, PA. If accepted, proof of residency is required.
ADMISSIONS POLICIES & PROCEDURES
- To download the Charter School’s Admissions Policy & Procedures: CLICK HERE
- 2023-2024 Applications must be submitted by the lottery application deadline on January 31, 2023 in order to be entered into the lottery.
- All applications received after the January 31, 2023 lottery deadline will be entered into the bottom of the waitlist on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- Many grades are filled to capacity and will not have seats available for the 2023-2024 school year. In the event that there are no seats available in any particular grade, a lottery will be conducted in order to generate a waitlist.
- Waitlists remain valid for one (1) school year only and are based on the current school year applications.
- If an applicant on the waitlist is not notified of acceptance, then they MUST reapply for next school year.
- In accordance with the Charter School Law, Philadelphia Performing Arts gives first preference to students residing in Philadelphia, who are subject to the student cap imposed by the School District of Philadelphia on the number of Philadelphia residents who may enroll in the Charter School.
SIBLING PREFERENCE
Definition of a Sibling: A sibling is defined as a brother or sister, by blood, marriage or adoption, living in the same household. Nieces, nephews, cousins or unrelated children, even if living in the same household as the applicant, are not considered to be siblings.
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Sibling Preference in the Admissions Process:
- In order for an applicant to qualify for sibling preference in the admissions process, they must have a sibling, as defined above, who is currently enrolled in and attending Philadelphia Performing Arts: A String Theory Charter School for at least one (1) full academic year.
- Sibling preference will not apply unless the sibling is a Philadelphia resident, and the currently enrolled student is in a grade lower than 12th grade for the 2022-2023 school year.
- If an applicant is accepted through sibling preference for the 2023-2024 school year, the sibling who is currently attending the school during the 2022-2023 school year must continue to attend for the 2023-2024 school year.
- A Sibling Lottery will be held in the event that there are more siblings applying than seats available in any particular grade.
- Siblings apply through the general online application (linked above).
PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENT APPLICANTS LIVING OUTSIDE OF PHILADELPHIA
- Pennsylvania resident applicants living outside of Philadelphia are welcome to apply, but their names will be placed on separate waitlists from the lottery waitlists for Philadelphia resident applicants.
- Applicants who reside outside of Philadelphia may only be considered for admission once the school reaches the student cap imposed by the School District of Philadelphia upon the number of Philadelphia residents who can be enrolled at the school.
- Should any vacancies arise in the grade to which applicants outside of Philadelphia have applied, such open seat(s) may be offered to applicants from the non-Philadelphia waitlist, on a first come, first served basis, so long as the total enrollment of Philadelphia residents remains capped.
- A seat vacated by a Philadelphia resident will be filled by a lottery waitlisted applicant from Philadelphia.
MAJORS SELECTION
- All 6th-12th grade students at the Vine Street Campus take part in our Majors Program that enables students to cultivate knowledge and skill in an artistic or academic content area of study.
- Students spend 90 minutes each day in their Major course and remain enrolled in their Major throughout their academic career at the school.
- For information about the Majors courses offered, see CURRICULUM AND CULTURE.
Middle School Applicants (Grades 6-8, Vine Street Campus):
- Applicants applying for the middle school (grades 6-8) select from the “Schools” of Majors.
- The School of Majors selected in the application will enter the applicant into the lottery for that Major School in the corresponding grade.
- If accepted from the lottery, the student will be placed in one of the Majors within the selected School.
- Schools of Majors and the Majors that fall within each school include the following:
School of Performing Arts
(1) Classical Ballet (2) Contemporary Dance (3) String Orchestra (4) Concert Band
(5) Vocal Music (6) Theatre (7) Television & Broadcast Arts (Grades 7-8 ONLY)
School of Design
(1) Art & Design
School of Science & Technology
(1) S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math)
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High School Applicants (Grades 9-12):
- Applicants applying for the high school (grades 9-12) select top THREE (3) choices for a Major.
- The lottery takes into account the applicant’s top three (3) preferences for Majors when entering the applicant into the lottery drawing for the majors selected in the corresponding grade.
- If accepted from the lottery, the student will be enrolled in the Major for which the lottery selected the student.
- High School Majors include the following:
(1) Classical Ballet (2) Contemporary Dance (3) String Orchestra (4) Concert Band (5) Vocal Music
(6) Theatre (7) Television & Broadcast Arts (8) Fine Arts (9) Digital Arts (10) Applied Arts
(11) S.T.E.M. (Grade 9 ONLY) (12) Life Sciences & Biotechnology (Grades 10-12 ONLY) (13) Engineering & Robotics (Grades 10-12 ONLY)
Paper Application Forms for the 2023-2024 school year are available to download in the following languages (starting September 23rd):
English
Español
Français
中国的
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2022-2023 LOTTERY APPLICATION (CURRENT YEAR)
ENGLISH VERSION (K-12): APPLY HERE
SPANISH VERSION (K-12): APPLY HERE
*All applications submitted for the 2022-2023 current school year are entered into the bottom of the waitlist on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Philadelphia Performing Arts: A String Theory Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school. We are committed to educational equality and will not discriminate on the basis of race, ancestry, color, religion, disabilities, gender or any other legally protected classification.
For inquiries regarding the Admissions Process, please email admissions.ppa@stringtheoryschools.org.
