Examining Antiracism in After-School Quality Assessments

• In Event: The Out-of-School-Time Sector: Alternative and Expanded Conceptualizations to Design, Analysis, and Evaluation

Abstract

Quality in afterschool ensures youth attend, enjoy, and benefit from programming (Durlak et al., 2010; Vandell et al., 2007). In settings where youth grow and develop, antiracism is necessary for youth to safely engage in the learning environment (Lawrence, 1987; Taylor, Gilborn, & Ladson-Billings, 2023). As such, it is important to assess antiracism when measuring afterschool program quality. In this systematic review, we examine all statewide afterschool network quality assessment tools to identify how often they include items related to race and racism, and how they operationalize these terms. Due to the lack of measurement of race and racism in tools, items related to ethnicity, culture, diversity, and equity are also examined. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed.

Author

• Arielle Lentz, University of Delaware