afterschoolnetwork

Goal 3: Support statewide systems to ensure programs are of high quality.

1. Approaches to quality: utilizing state tools

Two states and two consultants discussed standards documents and learning outcomes for school-age programs. Many indicators are not school-focused; the field needs more professional development opportunities and program-planning and evaluation tools.

2. Infusing high quality core content into afterschool

This workshop focused on a study conducted by the Southwest educational Development Lab on elements of a quality after school program. This organization and its partners are in the process of creating an online training toolkit for providers. The toolkit contains research-based information and resources about quality after school programming. The toolkit’s quality programming components are broken down into the following categories; Literacy, Math, Science, Technology, Arts, and Homework Assistance. Parts of the toolkit are available on-line at this time. The Literacy and math sections are currently available. Science will be available in May, Arts in July, Technology in October and Homework assistance will be available by Spring 2007. The website address for toolkit access is http://www.sedl.org/afterschool/ .The toolkit is Free.

3. Aligning state childcare licensing systems and afterschool standards

This workshop was facilitated by representatives from Minnesota and Maine. Both representatives presented their state’s licensing standards in regards to school age programs. Minnesota does not have state standards for licensing after school programs. Their network established some quality guidelines that programs can voluntarily choose to follow. Maine has licensing standards for school age programs, but they are mixed in with early childhood at this time. There is one section dedicated to school age programs.

At the end of the workshop, there was a group discussion about how other states dealt with school age programming and licensing or state standards. Many shared that their states lacked of standards for school age programs. We shared that Ohio recently changed state standards and input was taken from providers at regional meetings regarding requests for changes in drafted rules.

4. Data collection and program evaluation

5. Technical assistance and the statewide afterschool networks

This session looked at a variety of ways that states delivered technical assistance

- Washington – Split state into 6 regions – each region received seed funding to accomplish TA goals

- Created and Infrastructure called WRAP – Washington Regional Action Project –

§Diverse lead agencies

§Outreaches others within the region to form team

§Bring key stakeholders together

§Accreditation grants

§Challenges to structure – distance, ½ time staff

- Strategic Direction – created a state plan – prioritized direction of movement

§Network goals

§Part of structure was a Quality rating system – a tiered reimbursement structure

- New Hampshire – Started with advocacy focus - 6 full time consultants; provided grant training, TA on licensing

· Have a formalized Consulting agreement with sites

Challenges – Most effective method is most expensive – which is 1 on 1 consulting and TA

6. Quality 101

Indicators of effectiveness – attendance; enriching, structured experiences; cognitive, social, emotional, physical development

Service delivery area – quality is relevant when children are present long enough to promote individual growth; conditions allow children/youth to develop in individual ways

Features of afterschool setting to promote success - positive participant relationship w/adults and other children/youth; learning activities build cultural awareness, leadership, and relevant structure

Expected outcomes – improved capacity to form relationships w/adults; increased rates of program participation; higher levels of achievement motivation (class attendance, homework completion, etc.)

*Children in unsupervised afterschool environment has lower academic outcomes

Kansas –

• Network provides grant writing workshops
• Sustaining programs is their primary focus
• Network brings in consultant to help school/district leaders understand their role and impact
• Emphasize economic impact of afterschool programs on the state to business leaders
• Use graduate students to write curricula for afterschool programs

Session talked about the vital components for a program to possess to be of high quality

- South Carolina – Has excellent Quality Kit – J.D. Beiting has a e-copy

- Input from Liz Reisner from Policy Studies Associates

-From her studies – Lack of adult supervision is devastating to child outcomes. Afterschool sites with positive staff/child interaction is the greatest sign of high quality

Kansas view on quality:

-60 active partners who have signed a partnership agreement dedicated to raising the quality of afterschool in the state

-They have buy in at the local level – with a 1.25 million bill at legislature

-Quality of leadership – instructional leadership – is a key quality component

-Quality of assessment to validate work

Kansas Continual Improvement Rubric– allows

Developing systems of quality

local programs to assess quality and local needs

Quality reflected in partnerships

The workshop started off with a staff member from Policy Studies Associates speaking about her evaluations in school age programs. She spoke about the definition of quality School-age care. She stated that results from quality after school programming begin to appear in children after 1 year of participation. It is hard to get results prior to 1 year of attendance. She then reviewed the different program levels that are responsible for program quality, i.e. Operational Level, Service Delivery Level, Initiative Level and System Level.

The second half of the workshop was a presentation form a representative from the South Carolina Statewide Network. She gave us a lot of information about how they got started, who they involved, the collaborations they formed and the resource tools that they created. This presentation was very beneficial and introduced the participants to valuable information and tools to help us establish our network goals.

There were a few unique features about the S.C. Network; they had established and secured grant funds for programs to apply for and utilize for on-site quality. A program that received the funds was required to recruit at least 5 more program representatives into the Network. The network also established college coursework called School-Age 101, in collaboration with a variety of technical colleges throughout the state. This is a professional development tool that is valuable to their providers. In addition, the Network published a Tool Kit called, “Creating Quality Out-of-School Programs in S.C.”. The tool kit will be distributed to after school programs throughout the state. The tool kit has a training that goes with it. Therefore, anyone who receives the tool kit also receives training for implementation. The kit and training are free to providers in the state.

// posted by Rebecca Kelley @ 9:33 PM