Quality standards are a foundational aspect of an afterschool system, where the goal is to ensure that all youth have access to high-quality programs. The resources on this page are intended to support networks that are developing, implementing, and refining statewide quality standards.
The Supreme Court recently held that UT Austin’s race-conscious admissions plan is lawful under the Equal Protection Clause. In this blog post, Ben Backes discusses what this does (and does not) mean.
Through Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS), students, their families, and the local community can receive academic, social, and health services, which can contribute to better educational outcomes for students. In 2023, the Lewis University Community School Consortium received a Full-Service Community Schools Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Through ...
Through its work with the U.S. Department of Labor, AIR is helping Mexico address its most pressing and immediate needs in the transition to the new labor justice system by supporting the government efforts to establish and operate new, more effective labor justice institutions. Similarly, in Honduras, we are supporting ...
School districts around the country are increasingly looking to community schools as models to both respond to ongoing youth and family needs made more poignant by the COVID-19 pandemic and as a platform for providing opportunities for positive youth development that accelerate equitable student outcomes in education, health, and employment. ...
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.
Credentials certify performance based on a set of defined skills and knowledge and allow established or emerging staff to be recognized for their competence and commitment to professional growth. To date, though research suggests that well-trained staff, such as those with credentials, are more likely to deliver high quality programs, ...
The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is a comparative study of the reading literacy of young students. AIR experts provide technical and analytical support for U.S. participation in PIRLS, including consultation and management support, technical review of statistical reports and data, expert analysis, and technical support and training. ...
Afterschool staff working with youth are essential partners in any program’s efforts to implement quality programming. Ultimately, strong relationships are key to whether youth feel safe and can authentically engage with peers and adults. Building staff members’ capacity to strengthen relationships and align program offerings to quality standards will help ...