How to become a Pacific Coast Academy (PCA) vendor

PCA is the largest homeschool charter serving San Diego families. This is a plain-English checklist of what its 2026-27 Vendor Agreement asks of enrichment vendors, so you can get ready before you apply.

Before you apply

• ☐ You're a real, independent business. You market yourself as a business, offer the same service to others, and have a business license and insurance where required. You'll fill out a W-9 and get a 1099. You aren't a PCA employee. §4(b)–(c), §5
• ☐ You have a public website describing your educational services. §2(h)
• ☐ Nonsectarian, and open to everyone. No religious content, and no invitation, tryout, audition or test required to join. §2(d)
• ☐ Not a private school. You aren't, and aren't affiliated with, a private school on the state's Private School Directory, and you don't hold classes at one. §2(f)
• ☐ Core-subject limit: no student may get more than 16 core academic hours (math, ELA, social studies, science, world language) a week, Monday–Friday 8:00 am–2:30 pm. Arts, CTE, robotics and physical activities are exempt as approved. §2(e)
• ☐ No serving your own relatives or your staff's relatives. §2(g)
• ☐ List every location where you teach (Exhibit C). You can't use a location that charges families a fee. §2(i)

Insurance

• ☐ General liability (bodily injury and property damage), at least:
  • $1,000,000 per occurrence
  • $2,000,000 general aggregate
  • $500,000 personal & advertising injury
• ☐ Name PCA as additional insured. Your policy is primary, and it must cover every location where you teach. PCA may ask for more coverage for some services. §9(b)–(c)
• ☐ Your own workers' comp, disability and unemployment coverage for your staff. §6

Safety and background checks

• ☐ DOJ criminal background check (Ed. Code §45125.1) for everyone who works with students without a parent or PCA staff present. You pay for it. Either PCA runs the checks, or you get your own DOJ ORI number and run them (then you must pass on any subsequent-arrest notices). Only the people listed in Exhibit B may work with students. §8(a)
• ☐ Mandated reporter training every year (the free CDSS online course for school personnel), with proof within 6 weeks. You also need child-abuse prevention policies, including two adults present whenever possible. §8(g)
• ☐ Sexual harassment prevention training before you start. §8(f)
• ☐ First aid/CPR if PCA asks. No one-on-one sessions and no driving students without PCA's written OK. Staff working unsupervised must be 18+. §8(b)–(c), §4(a)

Getting paid

• ☐ Wait for an Enrichment Certificate before teaching. PCA doesn't pay for work without one, and doesn't pay in advance. §3(a)
• ☐ One itemized invoice after the service, emailed to invoicing@pacificcoastacademy.org. It must include: billed to Pacific Coast Academy; student name; Enrichment Certificate number; service dates; a unique invoice number and date; line and grand totals; and who checks are payable to. §3(b)
• ☐ Timing: PCA "will endeavor" to pay undisputed invoices within about 30 days. That's a goal, not a guarantee, and school closures of more than two days don't count toward the 30. 2026-27 closures listed: Nov 23–27, Dec 21–Jan 1, Feb 15–19, Mar 29–Apr 2. No services on closed days. §3(b)
• ☐ Never charge families anything extra. Materials must be built into your price, and you can't require a card on file, volunteering, or a separate contract. §3(f)
• ☐ Don't use PCA's name or logo in ads without written permission. §3(e)

Term and termination

• The agreement runs until June 30, 2027. §1(a)
• PCA can end it at any time, with or without cause, with same-day written notice. It can also cancel any Enrichment Certificate the same day. You're paid for approved work already done. §1(b), §3(c)
• You can only end it for cause, with 60 days' written notice. §1(b)
• Disputes go first to an informal meeting, then mediation (costs shared). If PCA has paid you more than $25,000 since the start of the previous fiscal year, disputes then go to binding JAMS arbitration. §12
• Your basic business info (address, phone, contact) appears in PCA's family ordering system, and the agreement is a public record. §2(j)

Where to start

PCA's vendor requirements and application: pacificcoastacademy.org/enrichment/educational-vendors. The agreement lists vendor support at vendorsupport@pacificcoastacademy.org. Already a vendor? Check that your listing here is right on PCA's vendor page, or claim your listing. See also Insurance and Rules.

Source: PCA 2026-27 Vendor Agreement (Rev 3.24.2026), PCA board packet, from PCA's public BoardOnTrack portal. Section numbers refer to that document. Checked 2026-10-23.