New Apply Philly Charter System Delivers Results for Philadelphia’s Largest Charter School Network
Mastery Schools is Philadelphia’s largest charter school network, serving more than 11,000 students across 18 schools, including 11 elementary schools and 7 secondary schools. Through a mix of neighborhood Renaissance schools and lottery-based charter schools, Mastery provides families throughout Philadelphia with access to a range of quality educational options.
As the largest participant in Apply Philly Charter (APC), Mastery plays a critical role in helping families navigate the school application and enrollment process. The introduction of APC’s new Rank and Match system for the 2026-27 pre-deadline application cycle marked a significant improvement for both families and schools—allowing families to rank schools based on their preferences while helping schools better understand demand and streamline their enrollment process.
Helping More Families Access Mastery Schools
The impact of the new system was evident across the Mastery network.
During the 2026–27 Apply Philly Charter pre-deadline application cycle, 7,119 students applied to a Mastery school—representing 27% of all APC student applicants. At the conclusion of the pre-deadline application cycle, Mastery schools sent 2,862 seat offers, accounting for nearly one-quarter of all offers made through Apply Philly Charter.
The new system provided valuable insights beyond the application and offer process. By showing how families ranked schools across the city, Apply Philly Charter’s ranking data gave Mastery new visibility into how families prioritized schools, helping the network better understand demand trends.
“The new Rank and Match system gave us a clearer, systemwide view of how families are prioritizing Mastery schools,” said Joel D. Boyd, Ed.D., Chief Executive Officer for Mastery Schools. “That information helps us make enrollment decisions across our network and shows how a quality common application system can create a better experience for both families and schools.”
Mastery Schools is still enrolling students for the 2026–27 school year. Families interested in applying to any Mastery school can submit applications through Apply Philly Charter.
Thomas Elementary Sees Strong Demand
Mastery Thomas Elementary serves as one example of how schools benefited from the new system.
Among students who applied to Thomas through APC, 42% ranked the school as their top choice, making it the third highest-ranked campus in the Apply Philly Charter system for the 26-27 lottery and demonstrating strong demand for the school’s educational program. The new Rank and Match system also provided school leaders with a clearer picture of enrollment commitments, helping reduce uncertainty during the enrollment process.
“At Thomas, the new system helped us move more quickly from interest to enrollment,” said Peter Langer, principal of Thomas Elementary. “It gave us greater confidence in our enrollment process and allowed us to spend less time managing uncertainty and more time preparing to welcome students and families.”
As Apply Philly Charter continues to evolve, Mastery Thomas Elementary’s experience demonstrates how aligned application and enrollment systems can strengthen the enrollment experience for families while improving operational efficiency for schools. By reducing declined and expired offers, the new system helps streamline enrollment processes and reduces administrative burden for school staff.