After-school programs in Palo Alto

Palo Alto's school day ends early in the afternoon, so after-school care is a real planning question for working families. The care itself happens on school campuses, but PAUSD does not run it. The district's placement page says plainly that after-school care is run by private companies, not the school district. Nonprofits and businesses rent space or work under contracts with the district and the city.

This page sets out who those providers are, according to the district, the City of Palo Alto and individual schools in fall 2026. We do not rank or compare providers. Call each one for current openings, hours and fees. For care before kindergarten, see our preschools and childcare guide.

How after-school care is organized

Three public bodies are involved, each in a different way:

• PAUSD provides the campuses and runs the state-funded Expanded Learning Opportunities Program through outside partners.
• The City of Palo Alto administers contracts for after-school child care at 12 PAUSD elementary sites and funds child care subsidies for income-eligible residents, according to its child care resources page.
• Individual schools list the care providers and the enrichment classes that use their rooms, usually on an "After School" page of the school site.

Because care is separate from school placement, families whose child is overflowed to another school should contact that school's provider immediately. PAUSD gives the same advice.

PAUSD's Expanded Learning Opportunities Program

California's Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, or ELOP, funds after-school and summer learning for young students. PAUSD's ELOP page says the program is open to all eligible TK to sixth grade students and is offered at all PAUSD elementary and middle schools, five days a week after school. Its stated goals are academic support, enrichment and connection beyond the regular school day.

Providers the district lists

Free seats for priority groups

All students can take part. Most attend at the regular price. The district says students in two priority groups may attend at no cost, depending on space:

1. Priority I: foster youth, unhoused students and socioeconomically disadvantaged students.
2. Priority II: long-term English learners or students with limited English proficiency.

To be considered under Priority I, families can fill out the district's application for free and reduced-price school meals.

PACCC Kids' Clubs

Palo Alto Community Child Care is the local nonprofit that runs the largest set of after-school clubs on PAUSD campuses. Its website lists 11 Kids' Clubs, each on an elementary school site:

PACCC describes its clubs this way. Children from TK to third grade are grouped together, in line with the district's early grades alignment. Fourth and fifth graders have daily focused time for academic support. The clubs use the Second Step social-emotional learning curriculum and serve snacks daily. A sample club page lists care after school until 6 p.m., one to five day options and full days from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on many PAUSD holidays. During Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks, clubs combine at shared locations. Parents provide transportation for children who attend a club at a school other than their own.

PACCC also administers the city's child care subsidy for income-eligible residents. Its site has separate pages for enrollment and financial aid.

Other providers on individual campuses

Schools list their own providers. The lists vary. Two examples from fall 2026:

• Ohlone lists the PACCC Ohlone Kids' Club and Right at School, which runs both before-school and after-school care on campus. Ohlone notes that its after-school programs do not run on non-student days, with occasional exceptions for these two.
• Nixon lists two independent options on its campus. Kids Choice After School Care lists hours of 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on school days. Right at School lists care from 7 a.m. until school starts and after school until 6 p.m., plus drop-in and school break care.

Check your own school's site for its current list.

Enrichment classes on campus

Many elementary schools also host after-school classes run by outside businesses that rent space. Nixon explains that these run through rental agreements with PAUSD, based on available space. Fall 2026 offerings at Ohlone and Nixon included science, tennis, basketball, soccer, volleyball, pickleball, dance, clay sculpture, LEGO robotics and Spanish. Sign-up, payment and questions go to each provider directly. Schools say they list the links only as a convenience. For more classes off campus, see our tutoring and enrichment guide and our guide to classes for kids.

City programs

The Teen Center

The City of Palo Alto runs the Mitchell Park Teen Center, known as The Drop, at 3700 Middlefield Road in Mitchell Park. Its website describes a free, supervised drop-in space for middle and high school students with pool, foosball, ping pong, video games, board games and outdoor ball games. It lists hours of Monday to Friday, 3 to 6 p.m., during the school year, plus free themed events on Friday nights. Teens and a parent sign a membership form on the first visit. The same site also lists a second center, the Rise, at 429 Bryant Street downtown.

Classes, sports and libraries

• Enjoy! classes: the city's catalog of art, science, theater, sports and other classes. Winter 2027 registration opens December 3, 2026 for residents and December 10 for nonresidents.
• Middle School Athletics: a city recreation program for middle schoolers, with registration through the city's Enjoy! system.
• Libraries: free after-school space, programs and online homework help with a library card. See our libraries guide.

Our guide to things to do with teens has more ideas for older students.

Planning care for the school year

1. Ask early. Contact providers well before the school year starts, especially for kindergarten. Ask how their waitlist works.
2. Check the calendar. Ask which PAUSD holidays, minimum days and breaks each provider covers. For breaks, see our school break camps guide.
3. Ask about cost and aid. Ask about ELOP priority seats and the city subsidy through PACCC.
4. Check licensing where it applies. The state's Community Care Licensing search shows license status for licensed programs.
5. Plan pickup. The programs listed here close at 6 p.m. Ask each one about its late pickup rules.

Frequently asked questions