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Resources for Non-DCPS Summer Program Providers

DC Public Schools (DCPS) is planning for Summer 2026! 

All School Program Providers, DC government agencies, and external organizations seeking to independently operate summer programming in a DCPS school must follow the process below.

Please note: 

To use a DCPS school, you must submit a DCPS Application to Use Facilities, signed by the principal, to the Department of General Services (DGS) Realty Office for processing by FRIDAY, APRIL 24. See below (Step #3) for the list of additional documents DGS may request after receiving the application.  

  • Summer 2026 Applications to Use Facilities for a DCPS school will not be accepted after April 24, 2026.  
  • Programs operating in DCPS schools over the summer must run between June 22, 2026 and July 31, 2026. All DCPS schools will be closed for programming on Friday, July 3 in observance of Independence Day. 
  • To help plan your DCPS school search, visit dcps.dc.gov/node/1648701 for a list of offline and DCPS-run summer program sites for Summer 2026. 
  • Providers interested in partnering with DCPS to offer afternoon enrichment programming as part of DCPS’ elementary and middle school summer programming can reach out to [email protected] for more information. Please note that DCPS will not provide any additional funding for afternoon programming. 

DCPS Summer Building Use Process for Non-DCPS Program Providers


1. Identify a school. 

Identify a school in which you would like to operate your program. We strongly encourage non-DCPS programs to select schools designated as DCPS summer school sites to reduce costs for your organization (see more under “Fees” in Step #3).  

To help you plan your search, visit dcps.dc.gov/node/1648701 to see the list of DCPS summer school sites as well as the list of offline schools that are unavailable to external parties. 


2. Get approval from the principal.

Once you identify a potential host site, contact the school’s principal for permission. Use of a school is at the principal’s discretion. 

Next, fill out the DC Department of General Services (DGS) Application to Use Facilities and have the host site principal sign it. Organizations may not use a DCPS school without submitting this signed form to DGS ([email protected]) by Friday, April 24 and receiving DGS approval. 

To allow for the necessary time to coordinate support services (meals, security, custodial support, etc.), principals have been instructed not to sign applications after Friday, April 24. As a reminder, programming cannot begin before June 22, 2026, and must conclude by July 31, 2026. All DCPS schools will be closed for programming on July 3.


3. Send required Application to Use Facilities to the Department of General Services (DGS) Realty Office by April 24.

Upon submission, DGS will request a copy of your Certificate of Insurance with DC Government listed as the Certificate Holder. 

  • Fees: The DGS Realty Office may assign rental, custodial overtime, and/or security fees for non-DCPS providers to use DCPS schools. For more information regarding DCPS school use fees, please visit DCPS’ Use of Facilities and Grounds page. 
  • Security Fee Details: 
    • Elementary school (ES) summer school sites:  
      • Security services will be provided free of charge when a program operates concurrently at a DCPS ES summer site and falls within the time frame of 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.   
    • Middle school (MS) summer school sites:   
      • Security services will be provided free of charge when a program operates concurrently at a DCPS MS summer site and falls within the time frame of 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.   
    • High school (HS) summer school sites:  
      • Security services will be provided free of charge when a program operates concurrently at a DCPS HS summer site and falls within the time frame of 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.   
      • DCPS-run summer school programming at DCPS high schools (HS) will operate Monday-Thursday. Any organization planning to operate on Fridays in a HS summer school building will be responsible for security costs on Fridays.  

Any programming operating outside of the program times listed above or at a non-DCPS summer school site will be subject to standard security and custodial fees.  

4. Summer Food and Nutrition Services

DCPS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) proudly sponsors the DC Youth Meals Program, offering free breakfast and lunch at designated DCPS summer sites to participants aged 18 and under. Any DCPS school hosting DCPS- or partner-led summer programming is considered a designated site.  

Breakfast is served from 8:30am to 10:00 am, and lunch from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on weekdays in the cafeteria during summer programming. Please be aware that these times may change. FNS cannot provide meals in the classroom during the summer.  For sites with less than 50 participants, meals will be delivered; for sites with greater than 50 participants, a dedicated FNS team member(s) will be on-site. 

If any schools are hosting standalone CBO/partner programming or school-based programming and DO NOT wish to have meals provided, they should contact Food and Nutrition Services at [email protected] by April 24. Otherwise, all summer sites will receive meals for students free of charge.

5. Have a great summer!


Questions about the process outlined above?