We share a wide variety of tools and resources to help you build, sustain, and expand quality afterschool systems in your state. The tools and resources include formalized systems for assessment against a quality framework, research-to-practice briefs on quality programming, tools for program staff to apply best practices in their ...
Ensuring strong alignment between quality standards and afterschool programs requires creative thinking, planning, and collaboration. Afterschool programs that align professional development with quality standards can support staff learning and sustain continuous improvement by reinforcing professional standards and practices. ...
Samantha Sniegowski is a senior researcher working on afterschool and expanded learning initiatives with the Learning Supports Network at AIR. She is responsible for coordinating and monitoring data collection activities, conducting data analyses, writing reports, and project coordination. Sniegowski’s current projects include Chicago Public Schools Community Schools Initiative evaluation; Texas, ...
A shared vision for using 21st CCLC funds as a platform for improving the lives of students and families, and for contributing to community cohesion, is an important precursor to leveraging the full potential of community and school partnerships.
Core competencies are the capabilities that are critical for afterschool staff to deliver high quality programs. These competencies are intended to set a foundation for professional development, provide opportunities for career advancement, and inform program quality and continuous improvement.
Amy Syvertsen is a principal researcher in AIR’s Youth, Family, and Community Development area. Dr. Syvertsen is an applied developmental scientist, and a content expert in positive youth development in childhood and adolescence with an emphasis on the developmental processes and contextual supports that undergird strong youth-adult relationships and civic ...
Building trust between a school and its community is crucial for the successful integration of a 21st CCLC program. Developing trust takes targeted efforts through strategic outreach and activities that can develop bridges between communities and schools.
The Plan, Do, Study, Act Process is central to the improvement of instructional routines. Watch one of the Better Math Teaching Network members in real time and in a real classroom setting introduce the Plan, Do, Study, Act, or PDSA, process.
Jessica Newman is a senior researcher who leads research, evaluation, and capacity-building initiatives in collaboration with a variety of national, state, and local entities. Her work is primarily focused on positive youth development and social and emotional learning (SEL) in supportive learning environments, including out-of-school time and informal learning settings. ...
Your state has successfully designed a set of quality standards for the afterschool field, and practitioners are now using the standards across the state to improve their program practices. But are you really done? As the field advances, you may need to adapt the standards or add new components for ...