For Families

Your child may apply to be a student at Freedom Side School if:

• Your family has been directly impacted by incarceration. 

• Your child lives in the Philadelphia area.

• Your child is a rising kindergarten or 1st grade student.

Our first class will be a comprised of Kindergarten and first grade students.  Freedom Side will add a new class each year until we reach our full capacity, eventually welcoming students entering Kindergarten through 5th grade.

Full enrollment at Freedom Side School will include three mixed-age classrooms: a Kindergarten/1st grade, 2nd/3rd grade and a 4th/5th grade classroom.

• Freedom Side is free for all families. 

• Although the true cost of tuition is $25,000/year per child, we fundraise to cover all expenses so that school is free to families.

We are currently conducting a building search as we work to find a space that fits our needs. All prospective families will be invited to visit our school during the admissions process in spring 2026.

• We will begin our admission and enrollment process in January 2026. An admissions portal will become available on our website in January. Our 2026 admissions timeline is outlined below:

  • January-June 2026: Families may apply via our website

  • March-June 2026: Our admissions team will conduct interviews with prospective families to learn more about your child, your family, and why you are interested in Freedom Side School. 

  • June 6, 2026 – Prospective students attend a “Play Day” at Freedom Side. 

  • End of June 2026 – Families notified of admission decisions.

• Unlike many independent schools, Freedom Side does not base admissions decisions on academic achievement. Instead, we primarily consider whether Freedom Side can accommodate the needs of the child, and whether our program is a good fit for the family. 

• Freedom Side is a safe and supportive space for your kids to learn and grow. Students will be supported both academically and emotionally. Freedom Side students will receive a rigorous education that helps them envision a better world and succeed in the world as it currently exists. 

• Freedom Side is a place where your family's needs won't be stigmatized and where incarcerated parents and caregivers can play an active role in their children’s education.

• Freedom Side is a community hub where parents and caregivers can get involved and connect with one another. 

• Freedom Side is tuition free for all students.

Freedom Side is a free, private (independent) school. We made the choice to open an independent school in order to have autonomy over our curriculum. Freedom Side supports public education and advocates for fully funded public schools. This school was created to support the unique needs of students with incarcerated loved ones. Freedom Side exists alongside public schools and works with educators who teach in many different settings to bring abolitionist and healing justice practices to elementary school classrooms.

In order to support the needs of our students, we are committed to small class sizes and low student-teacher ratios. Full enrollment at FSS will include three mixed-age classrooms of 20 students: a Kindergarten/1st grade, 2nd/3rd grade, and 4th/5th grade classroom. Each classroom will have two co-teachers. We will add a new Kindergarten and/or 1st grade class each year until we reach our full capacity. In addition to teachers and administrators, our staff will include specialists who offer counseling, connect families to supportive services, and provide learning support.