Last year attended a DCPS with a private aftercare provider (and a DCPS one for older grades) and they typically started 1-2 days after school starts...and often did not offer care the last day before a break as well.

Attending a different DCPS this year with a private provider for all grades and they started yesterday (first day of school).

I guess they all have their reasons...

Bancroft's aftercare started yesterday.

At our DCPS aftercare starts next week.

It seems that it's the private aftercare programs are the ones that are beginning on day one and not the DCPS-operated ones.

Anonymous wrote:There’s no reason for private aftercare not to start immediately. I don’t know why DCPS run aftercare can’t start immediately either - I have no idea what the obstacles are to that. I guess because it’s free you get what you get.

DCPS after care is run by teachers and they don't do it the first week or the last week of school because teachers have other extra responsibilities those weeks. Also they are busy preparing for their classrooms in the week before school.

The programs that start immediately have separate funding and other staff who can focus on getting aftercare up and running on Day 1 and are not fully engaged with a full time job of preparing to teach students on Day 1 as well. Even aftercare programs that involve teachers -- if they have professional paid staff other than teachers then they have more bandwidth.

Janney aftercare starts on Day 1. The enrichment and language programs start after 2 weeks.

There’s no reason for private aftercare not to start immediately. I don’t know why DCPS run aftercare can’t start immediately either - I have no idea what the obstacles are to that. I guess because it’s free you get what you get.

Our after are starts next week (DCPS). It is inconvenient but then having a kid is going inconvenient -- shit like this is why I have a PT flexible job because otherwise we'd have a childcare crisis at least once a month. I do wonder what other families do though. I saw a lot of grandparents at pick up today so I guess that's one option if you have local family or people who can come visit easily.

L-T’s aftercare started today.

I understand why schools do this but it’s horrible for working parents (which is most parents in DC). But then again our whole system is not set up for working parents.

Our DC charter’s after care started today

Our Dcpcs aftercare started today

I work at a school and our program doesn’t start until the second week in September. I don’t think the first day is a realistic expectation.

I have kids at 2 DCPS elementary schools in NW and both had aftercare today. I don't think it is too much to expect!

Should the expectation be that aftercare begins on the first day of school or is that an unrealistic expectation?