Most Important Elements for After-School Program Quality and Use of Tools for Continuous Improvement

• In Event: 14.044 - Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: 14.044-25 - Filling the Program Toolbox: A Deeper Understanding of Program Quality in Out-of-School Time Settings

Abstract

This paper describes a study conducted to identify Quality Self-Assessment Tool (QSAT) elements and Learning in Afterschool and Summer (LIAS) principles expanded learning leaders perceive as most important/highest leverage for developing, executing and sustaining high quality afterschool programs, and explore the value of using these tools. Without shared understanding of what constitutes program quality, there is little hope of developing effective tools to measure quality and support improvement – resulting in policies and programs proceeding in unproductive directions, wasting resources. Policy makers and educators should be responsible for guaranteeing that precious resources are actually advancing justice for our children, not just recognized for allocating billions of dollars. This research provides a foundation for moving policy and educator actions toward more justice.

Authors

• Julie Boesch, California State University - Fresno

• Linda Hauser, California State University - Fresno