The 2026-2027 lottery will be conducted on Wednesday February 4th. The transition to a rank-and-match lottery system for the 2026-2027 school year through Apply Philly Charter changes the technical structure of how charter school lotteries are conducted. Historically, each charter school ran its own independent lottery. To accommodate family ranking preferences and the new matching process, a single, centralized lottery will now be administered by the Apply Philly Charter team.
As a result, schools that previously hosted public lotteries allowing families to observe the process in real time will no longer be able to do so. This change does not reflect a shift in our commitment, or that of our schools, to transparency or fairness. Rather, the centralized system does not allow individual schools to display only their portion of the lottery process in a live setting without also revealing other schools’ results.
While this change shifts how transparency is experienced, the Apply Philly Charter team has strengthened its commitment to clear, consistent communication in other ways throughout the transition. APC has worked closely with schools and families to explain how the new rank-and-match system operates and to provide resources and opportunities for learning and engagement. If you were unable to attend previous in-person sessions, the following supports remain available to help you understand this year’s lottery process and results:
Register here for our Lottery and Results
Explainer Webinars:
Monday, February 9, 2026, 1 PM
Thursday, February 12, 2026, 10 AM
View our Lottery Explainer video here.
Review infographics about the lottery, waitlist and more in our Family Resource Folder
Families with questions about the process or their own application or results can reach out to the Apply Philly Charter Helpline at 1-800-891-3999 or email the infobox at [email protected].