DC Public Schools (DCPS) is planning for Summer 2025!
All non-DCPS providers, including School Program Providers and other DC government agencies, seeking to independently operate summer programming in a DCPS school must follow the process below.
Please note:
- To use a DCPS school, all non-DCPS providers 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, MAY 2. See below (Step #3) for the list of additional documents DGS may request after receiving the application.
- Summer 2025 Applications to Use Facilities for a DCPS school will not be accepted after MAY 2.
- Programs operating in DCPS schools over the summer must run between June 30, 2025 and August 1, 2025. All DCPS schools will be closed for programming on July 4.
- 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 2025.
- For more details on DCPS-run summer programming, visit:
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 Program Providers 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 school to host your program, contact the school’s principal for permission. Use of a school is at the principal’s discretion.
Next, fill out the Department of General Services (DGS) Application to Use Facilities and have the host site principal sign it. No programs may use a DCPS school without submitting this signed form to DGS ([email protected]) by FRIDAY, MAY 2 and receiving DGS approval.
To allow for the necessary time to coordinate support services (free meals, security, custodial support etc.), PRINCIPALS HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO SIGN APPLICATIONS AFTER FRIDAY, MAY 2. As a reminder, programming cannot begin before June 30, 2025, and must conclude by August 1, 2025. All DCPS schools will be closed for programming on July 4.
3. Send required Application to Use Facilities to the Department of General Services (DGS) Realty Office by MAY 2.
Application to Use Facilities signed by the school principal must be submitted to [email protected] by MAY 2. Please note that once accepted, DGS may request a copy of your Certificate of Insurance with DC Government listed as the Certificate Holder.
- Fees: The DC Dept. of General Services (DGS) Realty Office may assign rental, custodial overtime, and/or security fees for non-DCPS providers to use DCPS schools.
To ensure the safety of students in DCPS schools, key supports such as security, custodial staff and/or supplies must be in place. Therefore, when non-DCPS entities request to use DCPS schools they may incur fees for rent, security, custodial overtime and/or resources. For more information regarding DCPS school use fees, please visit our Use of Facilities and Grounds page. - Security Fee Details:
- Elementary summer school sites:
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Security services will be provided free of charge when a program operates concurrently at a DCPS Summer School site and falls within the time frame of 8:30am-4pm.
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Any programming operating outside of 8:30am-4pm or operating at a non-DCPS summer school site will be subject to standard security service fees.
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Middle school and high school summer school sites:
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DCPS-run summer school programming at DCPS middle schools (MS) and high schools (HS) will operate Monday-Thursday. Any organizations planning to operate on Fridays in a MS or HS summer school building will be responsible for security costs on Fridays.
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Security will only be provided in the morning (exact hours TBD) at schools hosting half-day DCPS programs. Programming that operates outside of those hours will be charged for security.
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- Elementary summer school sites:
4. Summer Food and Nutrition Services
DCPS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) proudly sponsors the DC Youth Meals Program, offering free breakfast and lunch to participants aged 18 and under at designated DCPS summer sites. Any DCPS school hosting DCPS- or partner-led summer programming is considered a designated site.
Breakfast is served from 8:00 am 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 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 May 2. Otherwise, all summer sites will receive meals for students free of charge.
5. Have a great summer!
Questions about the process outlined above?
- Summer program providers, please email [email protected].
- Food and Nutrition Services, please email [email protected].
- DCPS schools, please email Matthew Reif ([email protected]) with the Office of Teaching and Learning.