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Special Designations

Community School - These schools offer an array of services to parents and children. Examples include homework assistance, child care, technology skills, parental and prenatal training, language and literacy development and more.

Excellent Schools Detroit Top School - One of our schools that made nonprofit Excellent Schools Detroit’s list of recommended schools in the city, based on test scores, site visits and student and teacher evaluations.

Innovation School - Schools with expanded innovative programs, such as STEAM, public Montessori, dual language immersion, expanded Academy of Blended Learning, additional accelerated academic programs and smaller high school communities.

Montessori School - Montessori programming, according to the American Montessori Society, is a child-centered approach to learning that allows kids to follow their interests and learn through a combination of movement, collaboration and concentration.

Special Designations

Community School - These schools offer an array of services to parents and children. Examples include homework assistance, child care, technology skills, parental and prenatal training, language and literacy development and more.

Excellent Schools Detroit Top School - One of our schools that made nonprofit Excellent Schools Detroit’s list of recommended schools in the city, based on test scores, site visits and student and teacher evaluations.

Innovation School - Schools with expanded innovative programs, such as STEAM, public Montessori, dual language immersion, expanded Academy of Blended Learning, additional accelerated academic programs and smaller high school communities.

Montessori School - Montessori programming, according to the American Montessori Society, is a child-centered approach to learning that allows kids to follow their interests and learn through a combination of movement, collaboration and concentration.

Special Designations

Community School - These schools offer an array of services to parents and children. Examples include homework assistance, child care, technology skills, parental and prenatal training, language and literacy development and more.

Excellent Schools Detroit Top School - One of our schools that made nonprofit Excellent Schools Detroit’s list of recommended schools in the city, based on test scores, site visits and student and teacher evaluations.

Innovation School - Schools with expanded innovative programs, such as STEAM, public Montessori, dual language immersion, expanded Academy of Blended Learning, additional accelerated academic programs and smaller high school communities.

Montessori School - Montessori programming, according to the American Montessori Society, is a child-centered approach to learning that allows kids to follow their interests and learn through a combination of movement, collaboration and concentration.

Special Designations

Community School - These schools offer an array of services to parents and children. Examples include homework assistance, child care, technology skills, parental and prenatal training, language and literacy development and more.

Excellent Schools Detroit Top School - One of our schools that made nonprofit Excellent Schools Detroit’s list of recommended schools in the city, based on test scores, site visits and student and teacher evaluations.

Innovation School - Schools with expanded innovative programs, such as STEAM, public Montessori, dual language immersion, expanded Academy of Blended Learning, additional accelerated academic programs and smaller high school communities.

Montessori School - Montessori programming, according to the American Montessori Society, is a child-centered approach to learning that allows kids to follow their interests and learn through a combination of movement, collaboration and concentration.

Special Designations

Community School - These schools offer an array of services to parents and children. Examples include homework assistance, child care, technology skills, parental and prenatal training, language and literacy development and more.

Excellent Schools Detroit Top School - One of our schools that made nonprofit Excellent Schools Detroit’s list of recommended schools in the city, based on test scores, site visits and student and teacher evaluations.

Innovation School - Schools with expanded innovative programs, such as STEAM, public Montessori, dual language immersion, expanded Academy of Blended Learning, additional accelerated academic programs and smaller high school communities.

Montessori School - Montessori programming, according to the American Montessori Society, is a child-centered approach to learning that allows kids to follow their interests and learn through a combination of movement, collaboration and concentration.

Special Designations

Community School - These schools offer an array of services to parents and children. Examples include homework assistance, child care, technology skills, parental and prenatal training, language and literacy development and more.

Excellent Schools Detroit Top School - One of our schools that made nonprofit Excellent Schools Detroit’s list of recommended schools in the city, based on test scores, site visits and student and teacher evaluations.

Innovation School - Schools with expanded innovative programs, such as STEAM, public Montessori, dual language immersion, expanded Academy of Blended Learning, additional accelerated academic programs and smaller high school communities.

Montessori School - Montessori programming, according to the American Montessori Society, is a child-centered approach to learning that allows kids to follow their interests and learn through a combination of movement, collaboration and concentration.

Special Designations

Community School - These schools offer an array of services to parents and children. Examples include homework assistance, child care, technology skills, parental and prenatal training, language and literacy development and more.

Excellent Schools Detroit Top School - One of our schools that made nonprofit Excellent Schools Detroit’s list of recommended schools in the city, based on test scores, site visits and student and teacher evaluations.

Innovation School - Schools with expanded innovative programs, such as STEAM, public Montessori, dual language immersion, expanded Academy of Blended Learning, additional accelerated academic programs and smaller high school communities.

Montessori School - Montessori programming, according to the American Montessori Society, is a child-centered approach to learning that allows kids to follow their interests and learn through a combination of movement, collaboration and concentration.

Petitions

2025 Examination High School Petitions

All current 8th-grade students who applied to an examination high school and took the exam, but did not receive their desired placement, may petition for admission consideration. Formerly called appeals, the petition process allows students to apply for reconsideration of their school assignment or denial of admission. There is no opportunity to petition admission decisions for students beyond 8th grade.

Applicants may submit one petition to seek admission for up to five schools, which the applicant must rank in order of desire to attend. Each ranked school will review the admission and decide whether to admit the student. School decisions are final. If accepted, students will receive one placement - the highest-ranked school that offers them admission. Students who receive a placement in one school and petition to another school will not lose their original placement unless they are accepted to another school via the petition process.

Petition deadlines are strictly followed. Round 1 petition applications submitted after the deadline will be considered in Round 2, after Round 2 placement decisions have been made.

For fall 2025 admission, the key petition dates are:

Round 1

Petition Window Opens: 12 p.m. Friday, January 31, 2025

Petition Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Thursday, February 13

Petition Decisions: 6 p.m. Friday, April 4

Round 2

Petition Window Opens: 6 p.m. Friday, June 13, 2025

Petition Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Friday, June 20

Petition Decisions: 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 2

Petition Requirements Overview
Petition Applicants must submit the following:
- A student-authored essay about why they should be admitted
- Two (2) letters of recommendation
- Either a third letter of recommendation or an artifact that supports their persuasive argument for admission. Artifacts can include photos or videos highlighting the student's achievements.
- Optional: An updated report card. (This is strongly recommended.)
How to retrieve your petition application form

Petition Application Forms will be sent via Submittable and email on Friday January 26 to qualified Round 1 applicants (all students who took the exam).

To retrieve your Petition Application, please follow these steps:
1. Log into your Submittable account by clicking the "View Application" button in your email or go to dpscd.submittable.com/login
2. This should route you to your Submissions page, where you will see the student's full name at the top of the page
3. Click on the "Forms" tab and select “Open.”
4. Complete the application requirements
5. Important: Click "Submit" when complete

If you don't see the "Petition Form" tab:
1. Click "Submissions" from the top menu
2. Under the tab "All Submissions," click on your name
3. Follow the instructions above
Petition Details

Essay

Please submit an essay written by the applicant. The essay must answer the question: "Why are you a strong candidate for the school(s) you have selected?"

The essay may be typed directly into the form field or copied and passed from a separate document. Please do not submit links. The limit is 750 words.

Essay Tip: Do not submit the same essay you submitted with the original application and write to your audience. Review the application data that will be sent to you by Friday, January 26. Be aware of possible reasons for not getting accepted (low GPA or test score, low essay score, etc.)

Letters of recommendation:

Applicants are required to submit at least two (2) letters of recommendation.

The petition form will ask the applicant to either upload a pre-written letter or enter the email address of each recommender, who will be sent the reference form and instructions for providing a letter. Recommenders who receive the email request will be required to fill out an online form and upload or type in a letter in a letter of recommendation on behalf of the applicant.

Recommendations may come from teachers, school administrators, coaches, mentors, clergy, community members, etc. Family members may not submit recommendations on behalf of students. One letter of recommendation should be from a teacher in a core academic subject area.

Recommendation Tip: Be sure to notify your reference in advance and follow up with them to ensure they submit the form. For instructions on how to look at whether your reference has submitted the form on your behalf, click here.

Optional third letter or artifact

Applicants may upload a third letter of recommendation or an artifact that supports their petition application.

An artifact can include an updated report card, a writing sample, artwork, photographs, or another artifact that demonstrates why they should be considered for admission to an examination high school.
Frequently Asked Questions

Can I petition even if I was accepted to an exam school.
Yes, you may submit a petition application for up to five exam high schools. You will be required to rank the schools in order of interest. Acceptance will be granted to only one school – the highest ranked school that extends an offer of admission.

Who makes decisions on petitions?
Examination high school leadership teams will review and decide on petition applications. Their decision is final. If you do not receive placement in an examination school, contact the Office of Enrollment to request support with finding an alternate school placement. Options include our application high schools and Detroit School of Arts.

May I petition to more than one exam high school?
You may petition up to five exam high schools; however, you may only submit one petition application. Your materials will be viewed by all schools to which you are petitioning.

Can I petition even if I got my first-choice school?
Yes. You may petition to any school for which you did not receive a placement.

I haven't submitted an application or taken the test. Can I petition to get into a school?
No. Students who missed the Round 1 application window may complete an interest survey to share their contact information so we may keep you updated on the next window, which will open noon Monday February 26, 2024.

I didn't score as well as I would like. Can I take the exam again?
No. Applicants may take the admissions exam once per annual application cycle.

When will I be notified of the final decision?
Round 1 petition applicants will receive a decision after 6 p.m. on Friday, March 22. Results will be sent via Submittable. You may log into your Submittable account or check your email associated with your Submittable account. Please be sure to look in your junk or spam inbox.

May I petition to a school that I ranked lower on my application than the one that I was placed in?
If you are seeking to transfer to a school that you ranked lower on your application than the one to which you were admitted, you may put in a petition. The school you are requesting to transfer will review your application to determine if they want to accept you. Factors may include the number of seats available at the grade you want to transfer into. Please email the Admissions Office at exam.schools@detroitk12.org, for more information.

I applied during Round 1, but I missed the petition window. Can I petition during the 2nd round?

Yes, suppose you applied and received an admissions decision during the first round but missed the Round 1 petition window. In that case, you can submit a Petition Application form during the Round 2 petition window.

If I submitted a Petition Application Form during Round 1; can I submit another one during the Round 2 window?

No, applicants may only submit one petition to seek admissions to an Examination High School.

Can I submit another Petition Application Form during the 2nd round if I did not rank the high school on the first Petition Application Form?

Yes, please contact Enrollment via email at exam.schools@detroitk12.org.

Petition Assistance

Webinar

Join us for our informational Webinar that will provide an overview of the petition process and how to submit a petition application.

The webinars will be hosted on Microsoft Teams from 5 - 6 p.m. You do not need an account to join. Please click on the link below to attend.

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Phone and Video Petition Support

We invite families to make an appointment to receive one-on-one assistance with the petition process.

Trained support team members will be available via phone or Microsoft Teams video conference.

Sessions will begin on Tuesday, June 11, and continue through Friday, June 14.

Support Schedule

Tuesdays: 5-7 p.m.

Thursdays: 9-11 a.m.

Fridays: 5-7 p.m.

Click here to make an appointment.

If you have a specific question that you cannot find online, please email exam.schools@detroitk12.org or call (313) 873-6345 during regular business hours: Monday through Friday 9 a.m - 5 p.m.

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