Neighborhood & Community Services

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12011 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035
Chris Scales
Division Director

Department Resources

Beyond the Bell Pilot Info

For the 2025 – 26 Fairfax County Public School year, Neighborhood and Community Services will pilot Beyond the Bell – a license-exempt program redesign at 20 School Age Child Care (SACC) locations; the pilot will begin in October 2025. Similar to programs in other local jurisdictions, this local government Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) licensure-exemption model will reduce our waitlists at all 20 pilot sites while maintaining our commitment to best practices and superior standards in child care.

NCS announced the pilot program to families at the 20 selected sites on Aug. 4, 2025. Initial outreach efforts - including virtual and in-person engagement sessions - focused on families currently enrolled or waitlisted at those schools to ensure they receive the support and information they need ahead of the October 1 Beyond the Bell pilot program launch. NCS will also engage non-pilot site families and other SACC stakeholders to share updates and provide opportunities for them to ask questions and offer input as the program is evaluated. No decisions have been made about expanding Beyond the Bell; the pilot will provide valuable information to guide any future considerations.

Pilot site families seeking information and details about Beyond the Bell Pilot registration and delivery can visit the Beyond the Bell Pilot Web page.

To learn more about Beyond the Bell – including FAQs, upcoming meetings and other resources – visit the project's PublicInput page at:  

NCS Beyond the Bell - Public Input Page

 

Beyond the Bell Program Information

The goal of Beyond the Bell is to reduce long waitlists for before‐ and after‐school care by expanding access to more families, while continuing to provide safe, high‐quality and enriching programs for children. The pilot will also help identify how to potentially scale a program in future years to continue to address waitlists and meet community needs.

  • NCS will continue to deliver high quality child care programs. Beyond the Bell has obtained a Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) exemption pursuant to § 22.1-289.030 (Exemptions from licensure). The Beyond the Bell pilot will be guided by strong internal quality monitoring to ensure children receive safe, engaging and enriching care, meeting or exceeding these VDOE standards for license-exempt programs. For more information on license-exempt programs, visit Exempt Child Day Programs | Child Care VA.
  • All staff in this program will continue to meet County employment criteria, ensuring they are qualified for their roles and have completed all required background checks. All staff must meet standards that demonstrate they have the education, skills and qualification that prepares them to provide safe, high-quality care for the children and families they serve.
    • NCS will require background checks, First Aid/CPR certification, ongoing professional development, and training in child development, safety, and enrichment.
  • Sliding fee scale will continue to be offered.
  • Collaboration with Fairfax County Public Schools ensures strong alignment.

Twenty elementary schools across Fairfax County were selected to participate in the pilot. These sites will operate under a licensure exemption and therefore will not be directly overseen by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). However, they will continue to meet core health and safety requirements established by Fairfax County. 

Pilot sites were chosen using multiple criteria, including SACC waitlist size, vulnerability index, Title I designation, and the percentage of students eligible for Free and Reduced Meals. By using this criteria, the pilot program will continue to offer the same sliding fee scale and subsidies currently available through the SACC program. 

Beyond the Bell will include the following elementary school sites: 

  • Annandale Terrace
  • Bailey's
  • Braddock
  • Brookfield
  • Flint Hill
  • Hybla Valley
  • Lake Anne
  • Lorton Station
  • Mosaic
  • Mount Eagle
  • Mount Vernon Woods
  • Oak View
  • Orange Hunt
  • Pine Spring
  • Providence
  • Spring Hill   
  • Timber Lane
  • Vienna
  • Westlawn
  • Wolftrap

  • No immediate changes at non-pilot sites.
  • Families at these sites continue in SACC as usual for the entire 2025-26 school year.
  • Future expansion is possible depending on pilot evaluation.

NCS informed pilot-site families of the program in August 2025; enrolled and waitlisted families at pilot sites were invited to a series of five family information sessions held in August and September 2025 in advance of the October 1, 2025, start date. Families will also be engaged throughout the pilot through surveys, information sessions and an online forums. Input from families will be reviewed regularly and used to help evaluate the program’s impact and guide decisions about future improvements and possible expansion.

Pilot program evaluation includes consideration for participating families and staff as well as community input. Community engagement opportunities will be made available at:

NCS Beyond the Bell - Public Input Page

  • Pilot Program Announced:  Aug. 4, 2025
  • Pilot begins: Oct. 1, 2025
  • Runs through: June 2026
  • Program Evaluation: Ongoing

NCS has developed a number of resources to help families and the community better understand the pilot program and its goals. FAQ, video recordings and additional materials are available at the following page:  

NCS Beyond the Bell - Public Input Page
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