District sets up paid before and after school care for the first time

What happened

Barrington chose AlphaBEST Education to run before and after school childcare, subject to a contract. Until now each school negotiated its own after-school activities, and families relying on the YMCA ran into bus rules that stopped children travelling there. The committee required bidders to set fees high enough to fund scholarships for families who need them rather than have the district subsidise places.

Why it matters to families

On-site childcare either side of the school day is the difference between a working parent's day fitting together or not.

The evidence

The June 11, 2026 approved minutes record the interim superintendent reporting four bids and recommending AlphaBEST, and a 4-0 vote awarding the after school care bid contingent on the committee approving the contract. The March 12, 2026 minutes record the 4-0 vote to issue the RFP with the amendment requiring vendors to propose a fee schedule that would support subsidies. The October 9, 2025 minutes record the discussion of bussing limits preventing elementary students from reaching the YMCA. The August 20, 2026 special meeting agenda lists the AlphaBEST contract again, so the contract itself may not yet have been signed.

The source