Quality AfterSchool ProgramsWhy It Matters

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Quality After-School ProgramsWhy It Matters

• Illinois 21st CCLC Technical Assistance Meetings
• January 22, 23 and February 2, 2007

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Why Quality Matters in After-School Programming

• A better return on investment
• Goals more likely to be achieved
• Kids do better in school
• Grades improve
• Attendance is stronger
• More help for English Language Learners
• Like school better
• Programs more likely to be sustained

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(No Transcript)
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Characteristics of High Quality Programs

• Quality Staffing
• Diverse Educational Enrichment Activities
• Environment That Supports Learning for AllStrong
  Youth Development Indicators Present
• Strong Leadership and Shared Decisionmaking
• Valid Evaluation Design
• Effective Partnerships with School, Families and
  Communities

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Quality After-school Staffing

• Hiring and retaining quality staffinginvolvement
  of certified teachers along with other types of
  staff (teacher prep. programs, parents, school
  aides, etc.)
• Commitment to full-time project director
• Frequent staff training and professional
  development
• Inclusion and training of volunteers
• Low staff-to-student ratios
• Smaller group sizes
• Regular communication between after-school staff,
  school day personnel and partners

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Diverse Educational Enrichment Activities

• Not an extension of the school day
• Learning is coordinated with the regular school
  day
• Enrichment activities that support the school
  curriculumhelp the school day do its job
• Recreational programming
• Coordinated facilities management
• Attendance matters for impactensure that yours
  remains high

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Diverse Educational Enrichment Opportunities,
continued

• Program elements build social-emotional skills
• Opportunities to develop positive relationships
• Support healthy development, cultivate leadership
  and develop life skills
• Problem solving skills
• Dealing with conflicts, making positive choices
• Academic, cultural and artistic enrichment

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An Environment That Supports Learning for All

• Climate of inclusion
• Culturally sensitive
• Focus on at-risk students
• Safe and healthy environment
• Adequate space
• Good supply of materials
• Meeting nutritional needs
• Adequate funding

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Strong Leadership and Shared Decisionmaking

• Leadership, governance and management design
• Solid organizational structure
• Focus on the goals and vision of the program
• Meet legal requirements
• Parent involvement
• Public engagement
• Working toward sustainability

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Valid Evaluation Design

• Using data for improvement
• Designing effective evaluations
• Designing achievable goals
• Understanding what indicators would show movement
• Data sources that exist

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Effective Partnerships With Schools and
Communities

• Steps to building partnerships
• Assess community needs and resources
• Build consensus
• Design a program
• Address logistical issues
• Check the pulse
• Linking silos of care

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Strong Involvement of Families

• Involving families and youth in program planning
• Families as active partners
• Open and welcoming
• Voices to policymakers
• Attending to the needs of working families
• Affordability
• Siblings
• Transportation and safety

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Some Important Research-Supported Considerations

• Physical safety of participants
• Youth feel they have friends, supportive staff in
  programs
• Cliques, bullying issues are addressed
• Consistent, constant implementation of rules
• Negative behaviors kept in check by staff
• Youth input is considered, activities are
  challenging, no comparisons made
• Areas of interest and skills developed over time
• Good communication between parents, program and
  school

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What is Essential?

• Supportive relations with staff
• Building positive peer relations
• Opportunities for sustained and meaningful
  engagement in substantive activities
• Can be a variety of activitiessports, arts,
  music, science or literacy
• Must be meaningful for kids so they can getand
  stayengaged
• Programs are both physically and psychologically
  safe

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Carol McElvain Tara Donahue P 630.649.6597 gt
F 630.649.6700 E-mail carol.mcelvain_at_learningpt.
org tara.donahue_at_learningpt.org www.learningpt.or
g