Welcome to Afterschool!
At the end of the school day, DCPS Out of School Time Programs (OSTP) afterschool programs engage students in academic support, free supper or snack, and a variety of enrichment activities provided by DCPS teachers, paraprofessionals, and partner organizations. The program is made possible by funding from DCPS and a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant. In School Year 2025-2026, afterschool programs managed by Out of School Time Programs (OSTP) will be offered in 55 schools. Find out if your school is served by OSTP. Schools not participating in OSTP afterschool programs may offer their own programs to students. Please contact your student’s school for more information.
Important Information
- DCPS OSTP registration will now occur on the new My Out of School Time DC (MOST-DC) portal for the 2025-2026 School Year. Prior to DCPS OSTP enrollment window opening, families are encouraged to create an account, complete their parent profile, and link their student(s).
- DCPS OSTP registration will begin on Wednesday May 21, 2025, at 12 noon at most.dc.gov.
- You can make sure your child’s grade is served by OSTP by checking this list.
- The online enrollment system works on a cellular phone, computer, or tablet. If you lack access to any of these devices, computers will be available at your school. Please call your school to find out when you can come in to register. DC Public Libraries also have computers available for public use.
- OSTP is hiring afterschool program teachers, paraprofessionals, and site leaders. Get information and apply here.
What do afterschool programs offer?
The afterschool schedule offers an hour of academic support, including about 20 minutes of homework. Supper or snack is served to all students free of charge. 60-90 minutes of enrichment activities are also provided. This can include activities on themes such as character, gratitude, friendship, or anti-bullying, as well as physical activities, arts, or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Some enrichment is led by DCPS staff, and some is provided by partner organizations. Enrichment offerings will vary during the school year and from school to school.
Participation in high-quality afterschool programming has been proven to improve school attendance, academic achievement, and attitudes toward learning. Students attending two and a half hours of afterschool programs each day gain the equivalent of nearly two months of learning time.
What are the afterschool program hours?
The afterschool program starts at the end of the school day and ends at 6:00 pm each full school day (unless otherwise noted by your school).
What grades can participate?
OSTP programs serve students in PK3 through grade 5 at elementary schools and PK3 through grade 8 at education campuses. At River Terrace, all grades are eligible. Many schools also work with School Program Providers who offer fee-based or free afterschool programs and help expand afterschool seats to serve more families. Therefore, the grades that the OSTP program serves at each site may vary. Please contact your school to determine which service provider will serve your student's specific grade. We have listed the known providers on the list of 55 schools.
How do I register my student?
- Complete your child's school enrollment for School Year 2025-2026. You cannot register for afterschool programming until school enrollment is complete. School enrollment is currently open and can be completed at your school or at enrolldcps.dc.gov.
- Locate your child’s student ID number or ask your school registrar for it. Having the student ID number will make afterschool registration easier, but it is not required.
- Use a cell phone, tablet, or computer to register at most.dc.gov.
- When you complete your child’s afterschool registration, you will receive an initial email confirmation and/or SMS message indicating whether your child is enrolled or waitlisted in the program. Seats are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. If a seat becomes available, your child will be removed from the waitlist. You will be notified of any changes to your child's enrollment status via email confirmation and/or SMS message
- No child will be permitted to begin attending the program until their afterschool enrollment has been confirmed.
What do I do if I have trouble enrolling for OSTP Afterschool?
Please check the list of 55 schools to see if your child’s school is served by OSTP or has another program provider for the grade your child is in. You may need to register directly with that organization and cannot register with OSTP. If you still have trouble, please contact your school registrar or OSTP at [email protected] or (202) 442-5002 to ask for assistance.
My student is on the waitlist. What happens next?
Afterschool registration operates on a first-come-first-served basis for the seats in the program at each school. When a school’s afterschool seats are filled, students are listed on the waitlist according to the date and time of their registration. Students leave the waitlist when a seat opens in the afterschool group serving their grade. For example, the kindergarten group can only add a new kindergartener when one of the students in the group leaves. OSTP monitors attendance and invites new students from the waitlist as soon as a space becomes available. You will be contacted via email when your student's seat opens, however, it is possible for a student to remain on the waitlist all school year if there are no openings for their grade level. OSTP and school leaders make every effort to engage additional afterschool program providers to expand afterschool seats and serve as many students as possible, but sometimes the demand for seats is greater than the capacity to serve all students. This issue occurs in DC and is also a challenge facing afterschool programs across the United States.
Is there a fee?
The OSTP program is offered free of charge. There is no fee. At some schools, other afterschool providers that serve students in certain grades may charge a fee. We have listed the known providers on the list of 55 schools. Not all afterschool program providers charge fees.
How is the afterschool program evaluated?
The OSTP program is partially funded by a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant (21CCLC) from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The School Year 2023-24 21CCLC “Afterschool End of Year Evaluation Report” presents the program objectives set by OSSE and DCPS and evaluates whether the objectives were met during the 2023-2024 school year which was the most recent year of DCPS OSTP afterschool program data. In addition, the presentation contains valuable information about the 21CCLC grant, program demographics, key findings from the external evaluator, afterschool program strengths, and areas of focus for SY24-25. A summary of key findings is available at the link below. Questions may be sent to [email protected].
For all questions about afterschool, please contact:
Out of School Time Programs: (202) 442-5002 or email [email protected].