How to Partner With Schools for After-School Programs

Schools solve the two hardest problems for an enrichment business: finding kids and getting them to you. The kids are already in the building when the bell rings, and parents don't have to drive anywhere.

That matters to families. In the Afterschool Alliance's America After 3PM 2025 survey, among parents whose child wasn't in an afterschool program, 49% said their child had no safe way to get to and from a program, and 48% said program locations were inconvenient. A program inside the school removes both problems.

Every district runs its own process, and the rules for background checks and contracts vary by state. Treat the steps below as the common pattern, and get the exact requirements from the district you're working with.

How do I get my after-school program into a school?

Most providers get in one of three ways:

1. Through the principal. The principal approves use of the building and often decides which programs run.
2. Through the PTA or parent group. Some PTAs organize after-school enrichment and recruit providers for it.
3. Through the district. Some districts run after-school programs centrally, contract with providers, or rent facilities to outside organizations through a facility-use office.

Start with one school where you have a connection, like a parent who's enrolled with you, a teacher you know or a PTA member. A referral gets a meeting faster than a cold email.

How do I pitch a principal or PTA?

Pitch a finished program, not an idea. Principals and PTA volunteers are busy, and they say yes to proposals that create little work for them.

Bring a one-page proposal that covers:

• What kids do: the activity, ages or grades, and what they'll make, learn or show by the end.
• Logistics: days, times, session length, number of weeks, room needs and maximum class size.
• Staffing: who teaches, the adult-to-child ratio and how you handle pickup and dismissal.
• Price and registration: what families pay, how they register and pay, and whether you offer scholarships.
• Paperwork: proof of insurance, background check status and references from other schools or programs.
• What you need from the school: a room, a flyer in the school newsletter, and help with dismissal.

Offer to handle registration, payment, attendance and parent communication yourself. That's the part schools don't want to manage.

What is the district vendor approval process?

Vendor approval is the district's process for clearing an outside business to work with students or use school property. It can sit with the district's purchasing, risk management, safety or facilities office, and it usually happens before a principal can confirm your program.

Expect some combination of:

• Business registration: proof your business is registered with the state. Fulton County Schools in Georgia, for example, requires renting businesses to be listed with the Georgia Secretary of State.
• Tax forms, typically a W-9 if the district or PTA will pay you.
• Certificate of insurance meeting the district's limits.
• Background checks for every staff member who'll be on site.
• A facility use agreement or contract, signed before your first session.

Ask the principal or PTA which office handles outside programs, and start the paperwork as soon as you have interest. Approval can take weeks.

What insurance do I need to run a program at a school?

Expect to show general liability insurance with the district named as an additional insured. Both district policies below start at $1 million per occurrence, but requirements vary by district, so ask for the exact list.

Two published examples:

District	Requirement
Albuquerque Public Schools (NM)	Certificate of insurance showing general liability of at least $1 million, with an endorsement naming APS as additional insured, and 30 days' written notice before the policy is canceled or changed
Fulton County Schools (GA)	Commercial general liability of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, including abuse and molestation coverage; auto liability of $1 million if vehicles are used; $2 million umbrella; workers' compensation if the organization has employees; district named as additional insured

Note the details that trip providers up. Fulton requires abuse and molestation coverage inside the general liability policy and requires the business name on the certificate to match the organization renting. Call your insurance agent with the district's requirements in hand, and ask how long it takes to issue a certificate. For a full rundown of policies, see insurance for kids' activity providers.

What background checks do schools require for after-school providers?

Expect the district to require its own criminal background check for anyone who works with students on school grounds. State law and district policy set the rules, so they differ from place to place.

Two examples:

• Chicago Public Schools requires vendor staff to complete a background check unless they'll never be at a CPS site, never interact with students and never have potential contact with student data. CPS checks include the FBI, Illinois State Police, sex offender registries and the state child welfare system. CPS says it doesn't accept background checks run previously by other organizations, and principals may require checks for all vendor staff in their buildings.
• Dublin City Schools (OH) requires vendor criminal records checks that meet the Ohio R.C. 3319.39 standard, and a check completed more than 365 days before the start date has to be redone.

Budget the time and fees per staff member, and assume your existing checks won't transfer between districts. See background checks for youth program staff for how to build your own screening process.

What is a facility use agreement?

A facility use agreement is the contract that lets an outside organization use school space. It sets the rooms, days and times, rental fees if any, insurance requirements, custodial and setup rules, and who is responsible for damage and injuries.

Read these clauses closely before you sign:

• Fees: whether you pay rent, custodial fees or nothing, and when they're due.
• Indemnification: what you agree to cover if someone is hurt or property is damaged.
• Cancellation: whether the school can bump you for school events, and with how much notice.
• Supervision and dismissal: who is responsible for kids between the last bell and your start time, and how kids are released to parents.
• Equipment and storage: whether you can leave supplies on site.

Get the school calendar for the term at the same time, so you can build early-release days, testing weeks and holidays into your schedule and refund policy.

Can 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants fund my program?

They can, in schools that qualify. The Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers program (21st CCLC) is the federal program that funds academic enrichment during non-school hours, particularly for students in high-poverty and low-performing schools.

How it works, according to the U.S. Department of Education:

• Money flows through states. The Department awards funds to state education agencies, and each state runs its own competition for local grants. The FY 2026 appropriation is about $1.33 billion.
• Community organizations can apply. Eligible applicants include school districts, community-based organizations, tribes and tribal organizations, other public or private entities, and consortia of two or more of them. Faith-based organizations are eligible.
• Programs cover enrichment, not just tutoring. The Afterschool Alliance notes that 21st CCLC supports activities such as arts, music, STEM, and physical activity alongside reading and math, and funds more than 10,000 local program sites.

There are two practical paths. If a school near you already runs a 21st CCLC site, ask the site coordinator whether they bring in outside enrichment providers. If you want to lead or join an application, find your state's 21st CCLC contact on the Department of Education's program page and ask when the next competition opens.

How should I price an after-school program at a school?

Pick the payment model before you pitch, because it changes who your customer is. The common models:

Model	Who pays	Works best when
Parent-pay	Families register and pay you directly	Families can afford the fee and the school only provides space
School or PTA-pay	The school or PTA pays a flat fee per session or term	The program is free to families or part of a school initiative
Grant-funded	A 21st CCLC grantee or other funder pays you as a partner, where the grant allows it	The school serves families who can't pay, and has grant funding
Hybrid	Families pay, with scholarships covered by the PTA or a sponsor	The school has a mix of incomes

Cost is a real barrier for families. In America After 3PM 2025, 56% of parents whose child wasn't in an afterschool program cited cost, and half of parents whose child was enrolled said it was difficult to afford. Build scholarship seats into your pricing, or ask the PTA to fund them. Then run the numbers with how to price kids' classes, including any rent, custodial fees and the cost of background checks and insurance endorsements.

Where can school families find my program?

List each school-based program with its school, days, grades and price so families can find it. Families search for camps, classes and enrichment programs on Kaleto, and providers list their programs there. AI assistants connected to Kaleto can search those listings too. List your program on Kaleto.