The San Diego ELO-P landscape has its own specifics — this page covers what coordinators here actually need.
Top ELO-P Vendor in San Diego: 2026-27 Coordinator Guide
The San Diego County-specific vendor evaluation guide for SDUSD and neighboring districts.
Every San Diego coordinator hunting for the top ELO-P vendor asks the same three questions: which vendors already operate here, what do the SDUSD contracts actually require, and how do we shortlist without wasting six weeks on the wrong RFP? This page is the San Diego-specific answer, written from the operator side — with the SDUSD enrollment, UPP, and compliance context you need to make a good pick.
The San Diego ELO-P landscape at a glance
San Diego Unified is the second-largest school district in California and operates over 200 school sites. SDUSD’s expanded learning practice runs under the district-branded “Primetime” program in coordination with external vendor partners.
Main district: San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD)
Approximate enrollment: ~92,000 students
Unduplicated pupil percentage: 60%
ELO-P apportionment tier: Tier 1 ($2,750/pupil)
Region: San Diego County
What is unique about San Diego ELO-P vendor selection
SDUSD sits at the 60% UPP threshold — just above the 55% ELO-P mandatory-offer floor. Programming and vendor selection therefore is under real fiscal pressure to prove ELO-P dollars serve mandate-eligible students.
Other districts serving San Diego coordinators
Other San Diego County districts running ELO-P: Chula Vista Elementary, Sweetwater Union HSD, Poway USD, Vista USD, San Marcos USD.
The vendor evaluation framework San Diego coordinators should use
Regardless of which vendor a San Diego coordinator ultimately shortlists, the same five filters separate real operators from good pitches:
1. Written minimum-day schedule — with staffing named at each block, before contract signature
2. 9-hour combined day + 30 non-schoolday commitment — in the base contract, not as an upsell
3. TK/K 10:1 ratio compliance — including in mixed-age groupings (per §46120(b)(5)(D))
4. Session-level itemized invoicing — coded to Resource 2600 (ELO-P) and any braided funds
5. Supplement-not-supplant memo — for every fund on the site (ELO-P, Prop 28, CCSPP, Title I)
For the full evaluation framework, see the 9 Green Flags in a California Afterschool Vendor guide.
The eight ELO-P audit trip wires San Diego coordinators miss most
Every California audit season, coordinators in San Diego — like elsewhere — surface the same eight recurring findings. See the 8 California ELO-P Compliance Trip Wires for the full list with primary-source citations. The top three to check at your SDUSD site right now:
- The 9-hour math on minimum-day schedules
- The 30 non-schoolday count in your annual calendar
- Vendor invoicing coded to Resource 2600 (not lump-sum monthly totals)
How Kodely covers San Diego and San Diego County
Kodely is a MWBE-certified K-8 STEM and arts enrichment provider serving 40+ California districts across ELO-P, Prop 28, CCSPP, and LREBG. We deliver school-day, afterschool, and non-schoolday coverage under one roster, with itemized session-level invoicing coded to your specific resource lines and supplement-not-supplant memos included in every scope of work. If you are building the 2026-27 vendor shortlist for SDUSD or a neighboring San Diego County district, we are happy to have a conversation. Every scope of work we sign is audit-ready under the CDE Fiscal Responsibilities of ELOP 2025-26 Program Instrument.
San Diego ELO-P Vendor — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SDUSD Primetime program?
Primetime is San Diego Unified’s district-branded expanded learning program that combines ELO-P and other funding sources. External vendors typically partner with Primetime rather than contracting directly with individual sites.
Does San Diego County have a preferred ELO-P vendor list?
The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) maintains resource pages for expanded learning coordinators. Individual districts also maintain their own vendor rosters. There is no single “preferred vendor list” — each LEA runs its own procurement.
What is the ELO-P TK/K ratio requirement at San Diego sites?
The California statutory 10:1 ratio for TK and K applies to all San Diego district ELO-P programs per Ed Code §46120(b)(5)(D). If TK or K students are present in a mixed group, the whole group runs at 10:1.
Are Chula Vista and Sweetwater considered San Diego for ELO-P purposes?
For coordinator networking and county-level resources, yes — both are SDCOE members. For ELO-P vendor RFPs and contracting, each district runs independently with its own procurement.
What is the ELO-P 30 non-schoolday count for San Diego districts?
San Diego LEAs must schedule at least 30 non-schooldays per year of ELO-P programming at 9 hours each, per Ed Code §46120(b)(4)(B)(i). Summer alone rarely fills this count.
About the author
Sri Akash Kalimili is the founder of Kodely, a MWBE-certified K-8 STEM and arts enrichment provider currently operating at 40+ California districts across ELO-P, Prop 28, CCSPP, and LREBG.
This page is a working operator’s guide based on programming we run at California district partners. It is not legal or fiscal advice. Every statute citation has been verified against primary sources. Always verify current law with your CBO and district counsel.
Sources and further reading
- California Education Code §46120 — ELO-P — leginfo.legislature.ca.gov §46120
- CDE — Expanded Learning Opportunities Program — cde.ca.gov/ls/ex/elopinfo.asp
- CDE — Fiscal Responsibilities of ELOP 2025-26 Program Instrument — cde.ca.gov/ta/cr/documents/elop2526.docx
- California Department of Education Directory of California Public Schools — cde.ca.gov/re/sd
- Kodely — 9 Green Flags in a California Afterschool Vendor — kodely.io/blog
- Kodely — 8 California ELO-P Compliance Trip Wires — kodely.io/blog
- Kodely — Top California ELO-P Vendors 2026-27 (Comparison Guide) — kodely.io/blog