Tenafly releases RFP for SAC aftercare; parents raise concerns about special-needs support and security

The Tenafly School District has released a request for proposals (RFP) for elementary before- and after-school care (SAC) for the 2025-26 school year, administration officials said Thursday, noting the district27s budget cannot continue to subsidize the program.

"The only thing that's actually been decided about the SAC program next year is that the district budget cannot support the SAC program. The SAC program has to be self sustaining," Superintendent Steven said during the second public-comment response period. He added that program rates will need to rise because current rates do not cover the program's costs.

At public comment, parent Rachel Kohn praised the SAC staff but said families worry about potential changes, including a private vendor running the program. "Sometimes with after school programs ... it's hard for the special needs community navigating that, especially with respect to having the 1 on 1 support," she said, asking whether outside vendors can provide needed individualized care and whether security protocols will extend past the school day.

Steven said vendors routinely attempt to accommodate students with special needs and that the district will evaluate vendors on that capability as part of the RFP process. He noted that an outside vendor would be a licensed childcare provider and that those vendors face state licensing and operational requirements in addition to district procedures. "They have to do all of their own drilling. An outside vendor would be a licensed childcare center, and so they get a whole different set of requirements, from the state outside of what we have to do in a school district," he said.

Administrators said many neighboring districts outsource before- and after-care services and that staffing often remains similar because outside providers frequently hire district employees who currently work in SAC programs. The district said it expects to make a decision in March and will communicate next steps to families once the process concludes.

Board members and administrators emphasized that the district27s priority is continuity and quality of care for students; they also said the decision to issue an RFP stemmed from the need to keep the program budget-neutral. No final vendor decision had been recorded in the public transcript; the RFP release and the district27s intent to select a vendor (or continue in-house only if a sustainable model exists) were the steps described.