How to Apply for ELOP Funding in 2026-27

How California Principals Can Access ELOP Funding for After-School Enrichment in 2026-27

Every year I talk to principals who are sitting on ELOP allocations they never spent — not because they didn’t want programs, not because their students didn’t need them, but because nobody walked them through the process clearly. This guide is meant to fix that.

Free: ELOP Funding Checklist

The step-by-step checklist every California principal needs before the June 30 LCAP deadline.

Get the Checklist →

ELOP — the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program — is California’s primary after-school funding source. It was created by AB 130 in 2021 and it is not a competitive grant. Your school does not need to win anything. Funds are distributed by formula based on enrollment and student need. If you serve TK-6 students at a Title I or high-need school, there is almost certainly money with your school’s name on it. The question is whether you access it before the window closes.

Here is how to do that for 2026-27, step by step.

Step 1: Find Out Exactly What Your School Is Allocated

This is the step most principals skip, and it costs them. Before you plan anything, you need a number. ELOP per-pupil rates vary by district but typically run between $1,500 and $3,000 per student annually. If you have 300 eligible students, you could be looking at $450,000 to $900,000 in expanded learning funds. That is not a rounding error.

Your fastest path to your number: call your district’s expanded learning coordinator directly. They track ELOP allocation data and can tell you what your site is entitled to. If you are not sure who that is, start with your assistant superintendent for curriculum or your district’s LCAP point person.

You can also look up ELOP allocation data through the California Department of Education’s website, but the district coordinator will get you there faster and can explain how funds have been pooled or structured at your LEA level. Do this now — not in May.

Step 2: Understand What ELOP Can and Cannot Fund

ELOP funds are flexible, which is one of the reasons they get underutilized. Principals sometimes assume this kind of state funding comes with rigid restrictions. It does not.

Allowable uses under ELOP California guidelines include:

What You Can Fund

After-school and expanded learning program staffing, including lead instructors and site coordinators
Enrichment curriculum — STEM, coding, arts, literacy, physical activity programming
Vendor contracts with external enrichment providers
Materials, supplies, and equipment tied to program delivery
Summer learning programs and intersession programming

ELOP is designed to fund up to nine hours per day of expanded learning for TK-6 students — that covers before school, the school day extension, and after school combined. Most sites are not anywhere near that threshold, which means there is real room to build something substantial.

What it is not designed for: supplanting existing instructional staff during the regular school day, administrative overhead disconnected from expanded learning, or capital improvements. When in doubt, your district coordinator can give you a quick read on whether a specific expense qualifies.

Step 3: Get It Into Your LCAP Before June 30

This is the step where money gets left on the table. ELOP funding for California schools must be planned through the LCAP — the Local Control Accountability Plan — and the adoption deadline is June 30 every year. If your program goals, metrics, and budget are not reflected in the LCAP before that date, you do not get a second chance until the following year.

That means right now, in early 2025, you should be in conversation with your district about what the 2026-27 LCAP will say about your expanded learning programming. This is not bureaucratic box-checking — the LCAP is the document that authorizes the spend.

What to Include in Your LCAP Language

A specific goal tied to student outcomes — attendance, academic engagement, skill development
Measurable metrics (number of students served, attendance rates in the program, assessment data if applicable)
A budget line that reflects your ELOP allocation clearly
Description of the program model, including hours and grade levels served

Work with your district’s LCAP coordinator on the exact language. What you want to avoid is vague language that makes it hard to justify the spend later, or language so narrow it prevents you from using funds flexibly as the program evolves.

Step 4: Identify Your Program Provider — Do Not Wait Until August

Every fall I hear from principals who finalized their LCAP in June, got their program approved, and then started looking for a provider in August. By that point, good providers are already committed to other sites. Quality enrichment programs — whether you are looking for STEM instruction, coding, arts integration, or academic support — have staffing and scheduling constraints just like you do.

Start the provider conversation in the spring, alongside your LCAP planning.

Questions to Ask Any Enrichment Provider

Have you worked in Title I schools before? Can you give references from similar sites?
How do you handle attendance and documentation for ELOP compliance reporting?
What does your curriculum look like, and how does it align to California state standards?
What is your student-to-instructor ratio?
How do you handle staff turnover mid-year?

At Kodely, we work specifically with Title I and high-need schools on STEM and coding enrichment funded through ELOP and similar sources — so we have seen what good implementation looks like and, more importantly, what derails programs in year one.

Step 5: Set Realistic Expectations for Year One

Year one of any expanded learning program is a proof-of-concept year. You are building schedules, establishing routines, getting students and families bought in. A successful year one looks like consistent attendance, positive student feedback, and enough data to make a stronger case for year two — not a fully optimized program from day one.

Build in a mid-year check-in with your provider and your district coordinator. Track what your LCAP metrics require. Document everything, because ELOP compliance reporting is real and your district will need it.

Complementary Funding Sources Worth Knowing

ELOP California is your foundation, but it does not have to be your only source. Title IV-A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants) can layer on top of ELOP to fund technology, STEM materials, and well-rounded education activities. 21st Century Community Learning Centers is a competitive federal grant that can add significant capacity if your district pursues it. These are worth a conversation with your district grants coordinator.

The bottom line: ELOP 2026-27 funding exists for your students right now. The only thing standing between your school and a strong

Education Unlocked Podcast

Real conversations with superintendents, principals, and district leaders changing what is possible in public education.

Listen to All Episodes →

Free Resource

Get the ELOP Program Quality Checklist

How to evaluate enrichment programs, what variety looks like, and Kodely’s full program catalog — sent to your inbox.