Your after-school team may be the first group of people to tell you they are not working over winter break. They have kids of their own, second jobs and plane tickets. Meanwhile, the program day just went from three hours to nine.
Here is how to work out how many people you actually need and where to find them.
This post is for you if
- You have intersession days on the calendar and not enough people to cover them
- Your school-year aides are part-time and not obligated to work breaks
- You keep filling the schedule with the same few willing staff
01 / Start with the real headcount
Ratios are the floor. Under California Education Code §46120(b)(5)(D), programs serving TK or kindergarten keep to no more than 10 pupils per staff member, and §8483.4 sets 20 to 1 otherwise. Each non-school day needs at least nine hours of in-person program under §46120(b)(4)(B)(i).
Do this math by site and grade band, and round up:
| Step | Example |
|---|---|
| TK and K students / 10 | 24 / 10 = 3 staff |
| Grades 1-6 students / 20 | 70 / 20 = 4 staff |
| Staff needed in ratio | 7 |
| Site lead, not counted in ratio | 1 |
| Backup coverage | 1 |
| People to line up per day | 9 |
The example shows the method only. Note that the two groups are rounded up separately, because 94 students divided by 20 would hide your TK and K requirement.
02 / Nine hours usually means two shifts
Few people can supervise children well for nine straight hours, and your ratio has to hold through breaks and lunch. Overlapping shifts handle both problems.
| Shift | Sample hours | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Early | 7:45 to 2:15 | Covers arrival and morning blocks |
| Late | 10:30 to 5:15 | Covers afternoon and pickup |
| Overlap | 10:30 to 2:15 | Covers lunch, recess and staff breaks |
Ask HR how meal and rest periods apply to each employee group, and check any classified bargaining agreement before you post break-week assignments. Contract rules on who gets offered extra work can shape your whole plan.
03 / Where to find people
Your own staff, asked properly. Offer specific dates early, and let people choose partial weeks. Someone who cannot do ten days may be happy to do three.
Instructional day staff. Section 46120(d)(3)(A) mentions hiring instructional day teachers and aides to assist as part of program enrichment activities. Teachers on break may welcome a short, well-paid stint running a project they enjoy.
College students. Education, child development and STEM majors are often free during winter and summer breaks.
Community partners. Section 46120(b)(9) encourages collaboration with community-based organizations and childcare providers.
A staffing or program partner. This is the right call when the gap is too big for your own recruiting, or when you need people at many sites at once.
04 / Clear people before you need them
Clearances are the step that surprises new coordinators. Section 8483.4 calls for minimum qualifications for program staff, and your district sets its own standard for each position. Confirm your requirements with HR and start early enough to finish them.
Make a one-page tracker by person: role, site, dates offered, dates accepted, clearance status and the date confirmed. Nobody goes on the schedule until all of those are complete.
05 / Plan for the morning someone does not show
An absence during intersession hits harder than one during the school year. There is no classroom teacher down the hall, and a single no-show can put a whole site out of ratio.
- Name one backup per site, per day, in advance
- Set a call-out deadline early enough to act on it
- Set a rule for what happens if ratio cannot be met, such as combining sites or calling a specific on-call person
- Have the site lead count ratios at transitions, not only at 9:00
06 / Keep staff coming back
Most intersession staffing problems are retention problems in disguise. Pay promptly, give people a written daily schedule and complete materials, and do not change someone’s assignment the night before. For a longer look, read how to retain great after-school staff.
Frequently asked questions
Can teachers work in ELO-P intersession?
Yes, and §46120(d)(3)(A) specifically mentions instructional day teachers and aides. Pay, assignment and contract terms depend on your district and any bargaining agreement.
Does the site lead count toward the ratio?
Our example assumes not, because a person handling sign-in and parent calls is not directly supervising a group. Follow your own policy and how you document ratios.
Can we combine grades to meet ratios?
Possibly, but when TK or kindergarten students are in the group, plan around the 10 to 1 requirement. Keeping them separate is usually the simplest way to stay in ratio.
Short on people for break weeks?
Kodely places cleared after-school and summer staff, and can also run the program outright for break weeks. Tell us how many people you are short, at which sites and on which dates.
Give us 20 minutes. On a call. That is it. Book a time here.
Sources and further reading
Published by The Kodely Blog. This post is general information and not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with CDE, HR and your counsel.