Afterschool Programs

Photo of children in a classroom with their teacher

In School Year 2022-2023, afterschool programs managed by Out of School Time Programs (OSTP) will be offered in 55 schools. Schools not participating in OSTP afterschool programs may offer their own programs to students. Please contact your student’s school for more information.

Afterschool enrollment will begin on Monday, June 6, 2022, at 12 noon. Enrollment will take place online for students who have completed their 2022-2023 school day registration.
New this school year! You will be able to access the online enrollment system on a cellular device, 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.

Afterschool Program Description

What do afterschool programs offer?

DC Public Schools (DCPS) afterschool programs allow students to participate in academic and extracurricular enrichment activities and to develop new hobbies and skills. DCPS teachers, paraprofessionals, and afterschool partner organizations provide a variety of unique programming options to students.

Participation in high-quality afterschool programming has been proven to improve school attendance, academic achievement, graduation rates, 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 6:15 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. At Hart MS and Jefferson Academy MS, the program serves grades 6-8. The grades that the OSTP program may serve 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.

Is food provided?

Supper/snack is provided to all students free of charge.

How do I register my student?

Afterschool enrollment for all families will take place online for students who have completed their 2022-2023 school day registration. School enrollment is currently open and can be completed at your school or at enrolldcps.dc.gov.
The launch date for OSTP Afterschool will be on Monday, June 6, 2022, at 12 noon.
You may access the online enrollment system on a cellular device, computer, or tablet. If you lack access to any of the above stated 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. See: Hours and locations.
Once online enrollment opens, seats will be filled on a first-come first-served basis. Seats are limited, so please enroll early.

As a reminder, you must have submitted your school year 2022-23 enrollment forms for the regular school day and allow two business days for the information to be updated into the system before you enroll in the afterschool program. Get more information about school enrollment here: enrolldcps.dc.gov.

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?

Contact your school registrar or Out of School Time Programs at [email protected] or (202) 442-5002 to ask for assistance.

Is there a fee?

For School Year 22-23, co-payment fees for the OSTP program are discontinued and children participate for free. At some schools, other afterschool providers serving 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 funded mostly by a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant (21CCLC) from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The SY19-20 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 2019-2020 school year which was the most recent year of DCPS OSTP afterschool program data. In addition, the presentation contains important information about the 21CCLC grant, program demographics, key findings from the external evaluator, afterschool program strengths, and areas of focus for SY21-22. The evaluation report for SY21-22 will be completed in late fall of 2022. Questions may be sent to Margot Berkey, specialist for the 21CCLC grant, at [email protected].

Information for Community Based Organizations about DCPS Afterschool Programs