Mayor Muriel Bowser is reaching out to Washington, D.C., families encouraging them to sign up their children for the upcoming after-school programming for the 2025–26 school year using the newly launched My Out of School Time DC (MOST-DC) portal. As reported by the official mayor's office release, the portal aims to make it simpler for families to connect with nearly a thousand programs designed to support student learning and development.
The new portal, which was unveiled earlier this year, has been designed as a central hub to provide parents and guardians with the ability to find and sign up for programs in just a few clicks. According to the Mayor's office, "The MOST-DC portal is a game-changer for families," Mayor Bowser stated. Without needing to navigate multiple websites or resources, parents and students can search for local after-school activities, including weekend programs, by factors like location, cost, and school.
Deputy Mayor for Education Paul Kihn emphasized the accessible nature of the portal, suggesting the tool not only simplifies the search for suitable programs but also equips the education office with essential data to identify and expand successful programs. "Streamlined, user-friendly, equitable access to programs and resources — that’s what MOST-DC delivers," Paul Kihn expressed.
Since its inception, the portal has seen an encouraging rate of adoption with over 6,500 parent accounts created and over 8,000 students linked to out-of-school time programming. With a wide range of activities being hosted by various providers, having a common platform to navigate these resources has proven beneficial.
Moreover, the District is offering financial assistance to make these programs more accessible. Families with students in grades K-12 who meet certain eligibility criteria can apply for scholarships to cover costs related to a broad spectrum of activities. Details on these scholarships are due to be released in mid-October, with more information available through an email to [email protected].
Backed by a $5 million investment from the Bowser Administration, the MOST-DC portal is expected to continue growing, adding even more program options and features in the future. As detailed in the release, the vision is for the portal to serve as a year-over-year expanding resource that better serves the needs of the community. Parents and guardians seeking help navigating the portal can reach out at [email protected] while general inquiries about the out-of-school time programs should be directed to [email protected].
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