Raising the Bar for Afterschool: The Georgia Afterschool & Youth Development Quality Standards Katie Landes, Director Gail Ledezma-Smith, Senior Manager of Outreach and Quality Initiatives Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network September 2017

Active Introductions

Objectives Participants will:   Understand the ASYD Quality Standards program improvement process. Learn how to use the ASYD Quality Standards Assessment Tool. Discuss how to use the ASYD Assessment results to improve your program.

Why Afterschool?

What the Research Says The ABCs: Attendance, Behavior, and Coursework Closing the achievement gap Better health Confidence and self-efficacy Productive Parents Minimizing Risks

What are the Georgia ASYD Quality Standards? Framework for providers to evaluate and continue improving the quality of their programming Grounded in the widely held and well-established understanding that children, youth, and families benefit when programs increase their capacity to provide high quality programming. Common language around what quality afterschool programming looks like

Georgia Afterschool & Youth Development (ASYD)

The ASYD Assessment System Designed for programs that: Serve children and youth between the ages of 5 and 18. Serve youth who attend regularly.  Are well established.  Offer youth a range of enriching experiences. An evaluation system that helps afterschool and youth development programs improve program quality and outcomes for children and youth

The ASYD Assessment System Data Analysis Action Planning Data Collection

Why Use the ASYD System? Can help you answer key questions: What is the quality of our program? What are we doing well? Where are our strengths? What practices should we sustain? Where should we focus our program improvement efforts? What program practices should we target in facilitating this improvement? Where should we focus our professional development efforts? How can we work as a team to ensure program improvement?

Principles of Quality Improvement There is always room for improvement. Change that involves everyone is the most successful. Slow, gradual change will last. People working together are the best resource. Sharing the leadership role will increase participation.

Continuous Improvement Plan and Select Quality Elements Implement Assessment Reflect on Findings Make Action Plan Make Program Changes

The Standards, Quality Elements, & Indicators The standards are organized into nine distinct categories called quality elements. Each of these nine quality elements includes a series of related standards. Each standard includes indicators that demonstrate what the standard looks like in practice. Introduction to the ASYD Tool Read the “Introduction to the Georgia ASYD Quality Standards Assessment Tool”. What are some of the fundamental assumptions and key components?

Quality Element 1: Programming & Youth Development Guiding Principle: A quality program designs and implements a flexible, well-rounded daily schedule that supports the physical, social, and cognitive development of all youth by providing programming and activities that are well organized, developmentally appropriate, and offer opportunities to gain new knowledge and skill. Sample Standards 1.2 Offers project-based, experiential and hands-on activities 1.12 Ensures that programming is culturally appropriate and linguistically sensitive

Quality Element 2: Linkages with the School Day Guiding Principle: A quality program communicates and collaborates with school personnel to ensure that afterschool programming and activities complement and support school day learning, support performance standards, and build strong content knowledge and academic skills in youth. Sample Standards 2.1 Establishes and maintains strong and intentional links to the school day 2.4 When appropriate, incorporates academic support, including homework assistance and/or tutoring

Quality Element 3: Environment & Climate Guiding Principle: A quality program provides a safe, clean, and developmentally appropriate environment that meets the physical needs of all youth, supports best practice programming, and reflects the needs and interests of youth. Sample Standards 3.3 Adheres to state and local licensing requirements 3.7 Allows for the inclusion and engagement of differently-abled youth

Quality Element 4: Relationships Guiding Principle: A quality program fosters and nurtures positive relationships and interactions among staff, youth, families, and communities; provides a tolerant and respectful environment that is safe from teasing, bullying, and violence; and promotes diversity. Sample Standards 4.2 Ensures that staff are role models of positive and respectful adult relationships 4.4 Teaches and encourages use of conflict resolution skills among youth

Quality Element 5: Health & Well-being Guiding Principle: A quality program supports and promotes the social and emotional needs of youth, is committed to diversity, tolerance and inclusion, and provides opportunities for youth to be physically active and learn and practice healthy habits. Sample Standards 5.1 Provides a socio-emotionally safe and supportive environment that is free of bullying and harassment for youth 5.3 When suitable to program duration, incorporates nutritious snack and/or meal options, if provided

Quality Element 6: Staffing & Professional Development Guiding Principle: A quality program employs staff and volunteers who value each youth, understand youths’ developmental needs, and develop working relationships with coworkers, youth, families and caregivers and other partners.  A quality program supports the professional growth of staff and volunteers by providing ongoing professional development that bolsters the knowledge and skill necessary for implementing best practice programming. Sample Standard 6.2 Offers all staff and volunteers ongoing professional development and fosters a commitment to continual growth

Quality Element 7: Organizational Practices Guiding Principle: A quality program has a clear mission and well-defined goals, sound fiscal management, and clear policies and procedures that support quality and sustainability. Sample Standards 7.3 Establishes program policies and procedures and makes them available to families and caregivers and stakeholders 7.5 Maintains a system for the collection and monitoring of youth attendance data

Quality Element 8: Evaluation & Outcomes Guiding Principle: A quality program has measurable program and outcomes-based goals; and a system and plan in place for gathering data, engaging in data-driven decision-making, implementing program improvement strategies, and regularly reassessing outcomes. Sample Standards 8.1 Delineates measurable program goals and objectives that reflect the organization’s mission 8.6 Develops the capacity in staff to carry out the data-driven decision-making process as a team

Quality Element 9: Family & Community Partnerships Guiding Principle: A quality program builds meaningful relationships and collaborates with families and caregivers to enhance programming and foster the healthy development of youth.  A quality program develops community partnerships to establish an educative community and form an interconnected network that supports the holistic well-being of youth. Sample Standard 9.1 Builds meaningful relationships with families and caregivers and interacts with them in respectful and welcoming ways

Explore the ASYD Tool Look through the ASYD Quality Standards Assessment Tool. With your group discuss the following questions: What does it measure? How is it organized? How is it similar or different from other quality assessment tools you have seen or used? What does it measure?  How is it organized? How is it similar or different from other quality assessment tools you’ve seen or used? What Does It Measure? Process quality refers to the actual experiences that occur in afterschool and youth development settings including children and youths’ interactions with staff and peers, and their participation in different activities. Structural quality refers to the characteristics such as youth: adult ratio, group sizes, program offerings, and connections with family and community.

The ASYD Tool Rating Scale 4 = Very True 3 = Mostly True 2 = Somewhat True 1 = Not True Non-Applicable / Don’t Know

The ASYD Assessment Process Building Your ASYD Assessment Team Observation Best Practices Coming to Consensus Understanding Your Data Action Planning Can’t go through all of these in detail today – extensive go through all steps in full day training

Building Your ASYD Assessment Team Who will lead the assessment team? Which staff, partners, and stakeholders should be represented on the team? What knowledge and perspective can different individuals bring to the team? Provide “Exercise: The Who, When, & How of Using the ASYD Quality Standards Assessment Tool” as a resource for later review and use in planning

Observation Best Practices Observe the typical program Be objective Focus your observation on the assessment items Be comprehensive Observe the typical program Prepare staff and youth in advance to ensure typical program practices Be a fly on the wall – you are not a participant Attend to your body language and facial expressions Be objective Check your biases Allow sufficient observation time – wait for the program to “prove you wrong” Be an outsider – describe what you see, not what you know Ask questions when appropriate Focus your observation on the assessment items Focus on the standards and indicators outlined in the tool – read them carefully and rate them based only on that specific practice, behavior, or item Take notes about other observations not included in the tool Be comprehensive Teak notes to describe the practices and behaviors you observed to support your ratings Ensure that you complete all of the ratings during the observation period. Pause to complete rating of observed program areas and practices at 45-60 minute intervals

The Who, When, & How of Using the ASYD Tool Review the handout called “Exercise: The Who, When, & How of Using the ASYD Quality Standards Assessment Tool”. Discuss the questions on the handout with your group. Consider the benefits and challenges of the various options.

Coming to Consensus Discuss your ratings with your group and describe the supporting evidence. Come to consensus on a final rating for each Standard. You may use the Rating Summary Sheet to chart your ratings. Observe the typical program Prepare staff and youth in advance to ensure typical program practices Be a fly on the wall – you are not a participant Attend to your body language and facial expressions Be objective Check your biases Allow sufficient observation time – wait for the program to “prove you wrong” Be an outsider – describe what you see, not what you know Ask questions when appropriate Focus your observation on the assessment items Focus on the standards and indicators outlined in the tool – read them carefully and rate them based only on that specific practice, behavior, or item Take notes about other observations not included in the tool Be comprehensive Teak notes to describe the practices and behaviors you observed to support your ratings Ensure that you complete all of the ratings during the observation period. Pause to complete rating of observed program areas and practices at 45-60 minute intervals

Strategies for Resolving Differences of Opinions Ask the other person: What would the “perfect practice” look like for you? How does our program measure up to your expectations, based on observable practices and policies? How does the rating you chose (e.g. 3) align with the examples you gave? Tell your teammate what you hear them saying to ensure that you are interpreting them correctly. Observe the typical program Prepare staff and youth in advance to ensure typical program practices Be a fly on the wall – you are not a participant Attend to your body language and facial expressions Be objective Check your biases Allow sufficient observation time – wait for the program to “prove you wrong” Be an outsider – describe what you see, not what you know Ask questions when appropriate Focus your observation on the assessment items Focus on the standards and indicators outlined in the tool – read them carefully and rate them based only on that specific practice, behavior, or item Take notes about other observations not included in the tool Be comprehensive Teak notes to describe the practices and behaviors you observed to support your ratings Ensure that you complete all of the ratings during the observation period. Pause to complete rating of observed program areas and practices at 45-60 minute intervals

Strategies for Resolving Differences of Opinions Ask yourself: Is my teammate using a different definition of the practice than I am? Does my teammate have additional information about our program? Do we have a similar understanding of the rating scale? How does this new input affect my opinion about the rating? Observe the typical program Prepare staff and youth in advance to ensure typical program practices Be a fly on the wall – you are not a participant Attend to your body language and facial expressions Be objective Check your biases Allow sufficient observation time – wait for the program to “prove you wrong” Be an outsider – describe what you see, not what you know Ask questions when appropriate Focus your observation on the assessment items Focus on the standards and indicators outlined in the tool – read them carefully and rate them based only on that specific practice, behavior, or item Take notes about other observations not included in the tool Be comprehensive Teak notes to describe the practices and behaviors you observed to support your ratings Ensure that you complete all of the ratings during the observation period. Pause to complete rating of observed program areas and practices at 45-60 minute intervals

Understanding Your Data What can you learn from this data? What additional information would you like to have in order to better understand this data? What program modifications or other actions might you suggest to this program?

Action Planning

Georgia ASYD: 2017 Introduction to the Standards Online Workshops Quality Element Specific Online Workshops Topic Specific Workshops Georgia ASYD Mobile App Opportunities for Technical Assistance Continued ASYD Newsletters and new information on www.GeorgiaASYD.org Save the Date! The next Georgia ASYD Conference will be held September 26-28, 2018 in Columbus, GA. We hope to see you there!

Gail Ledezma-Smith, Senior Manager of Outreach and Quality Katie Landes, Director Gail Ledezma-Smith, Senior Manager of Outreach and Quality Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network klandes@georgiavoices.org gsmith@georgiavoices.org 404-521-0355 www.afterschoolga.org www.georgiaasyd.org