Parent guide
After-School Program Costs in Northern Virginia: What to Compare
By Kaizen Kids ·
Compare after-school costs for the same days and hours, including school pickup and any extras you'll use. A lower weekly price can cost more overall if you still need a sitter or transport. Ask for the full charge and written terms before you choose.
Get quotes for the same week
Give each provider the same school, days and latest pickup time. A three-day quote and a five-day quote answer different questions. So do a class fee and a program that covers the afternoon.
- School and grade
- Number of days each week
- Dismissal and parent pickup times
- School pickup needed or arranged separately
- Any early-release or school-break days you need covered
Ask what the quoted price includes
Put each charge beside the thing it pays for. This makes it easier to see whether an extra is optional or essential to your family.
- School pickup: included, separately charged or unavailable?
- Registration: one-time, annual or per child?
- Activities and supplies: included or billed separately?
- Late pickup: when does the fee begin and how is it charged?
- School breaks: included in the usual fee or booked separately?
- Sibling discounts: which child or fee does the discount apply to?
Monthly and weekly fees need the billing terms
Fairfax County SACC spreads its school-year charge across ten equal monthly installments. It lists separate charges for break programs and a sliding fee scale for eligible households. That is one local billing model, not an average price for Northern Virginia.
Ask a private provider how many payments are due across the school year. Don't multiply a monthly price by twelve or a weekly price by every calendar week unless that matches the contract.
Compare the full cost with a simple worksheet
For your chosen period, add the program charge, required fees and any separate transport or supervision. Subtract only discounts the provider has confirmed.
For example, one offer might include pickup while another needs a separate sitter. Put the sitter's actual quote beside the second offer before comparing the totals. No example price is needed to see the difference.
- Program payments for the period
- Required registration and supply charges
- Separate transport or supervision
- Additional days you expect to use
- Confirmed discounts
- Total for the same period
Read the cancellation and closure terms
Find out when notice is due, whether a deposit is refundable and what you owe during holidays, absences or closures. Keep those terms with the quote.
For Kaizen Kids, use the after-school inquiry to check your school and request the current price for your location.