Secure your spot: BPRD Kids Inc. application window opens for 2026 after-school care
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Bend Park and Recreation District will open the application process for its Kids Inc. after-school care program for the 2026-27 school year on Friday, May 1. The lottery enrollment, which supports after-school care for kindergarten through fifth-grade students, will accept applications until May 13 at 11:59 p.m.
The Kids Inc. program operates daily until 5:30 p.m. in all Bend elementary schools, with the exceptions of Amity Creek and Westside Village. The lottery system considers siblings as one household for selection, though each child must be individually registered.
The application window for the Kids Inc. program begins May 1, 2026, at 8 a.m. and closes May 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Applicants will receive status notifications by May 18, 2026 and must secure their spot with a first month's tuition deposit by May 31, 2026. Online applications are available on the Bend Park and Recreation District website during these dates and phone applications can be submitted by calling 541-389-7275 if online access is an issue.
Catherine Ellis, recreation and inclusion manager for the Bend Park and Recreation District, emphasized the program's importance for families. "The primary purpose of Kids Inc. is to support the after-school care needs of working parents and guardians who do not have other options for their elementary school-aged children," Ellis said. "The program is crucial for families and the enrollment process is very important for the lottery selection."
For the upcoming 2026-27 school year, Kids Inc. will continue to offer both part-time and full-time care options, a feature that began in Fall 2022 due to positive feedback. Part-time schedules include Monday and Wednesday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, or Wednesdays only. Parents and guardians are encouraged to register for all desired schedules.
Families initially selected for part-time spots have the option to move to full-time care if they indicated a preference for full-time during the enrollment lottery. This transition may occur before the school year starts or at any point during the school year, depending on staffing levels and space availability at the specific school.
The Bend Park and Recreation District asks families who do not rely on after-school care for job requirements or have other care options to consider the district's various enrichment and sport programs.
The lottery selection process will determine placements for the 2026-27 school year. Applicants will be notified of their status by May 18, 2026 and accepted families must submit their first month's tuition deposit by May 31, 2026, to secure their child's spot.
