Contains information and access to the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in California, information about program requirements to implement a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process, and supportive resources.

Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in California http://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/quality_standards.pdf

The purpose of the Quality Standards is to describe high levels of “Quality” of a program at the programmatic, staff, and participant levels. The quality standards are not intended to serve as a compliance tool, but as the following:

• A framework of clear expectations for all stakeholders.
• A guide to inform the After School Division’s decision-making, e.g., technical assistance decisions, language in requests for application, and policy development.
• A guide for program providers to assess their own programs in order to help determine what they are doing well and what needs improvement.
• A guide for parents and youth to identify quality programming.
• A guide for school principals and district superintendents to reinforce and advance key priorities.
• A complement to other standards in the State of California focused on quality improvement, e.g., Learning in After School and Summer, Quality Self-Assessment Tool, Quality Self-Assessment Rubric, Center for Youth Program Quality, etc.

Crosswalk Between Quality Standards and Program Assessment Tools
http://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/_crosswalk.pdf

This Crosswalk outlines a number of available tools that can be used for quality assessment and improvement. This report includes a review of seven tools that assess program quality in the field at both the point-of-service level and the programmatic management level.2 This report centers around a matrix indicating the degree to which each tool supports assessment of the Quality Standards.

Through this comparison, we hope to provide program staff and other expanded learning stakeholders with guidance for both internal and external assessment to support continuous quality improvement efforts.

Webinar – Continuous Quality Improvement – Where Compliance Meets Quality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPh5h1vhwB0&feature=youtu.be

Webinar on Engaging in a Program Quality Improvement Process for Expanded Learning Programs. An overview of California’s Education Code (EC), Section 8484, the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning Programs, what a Program Improvement Process is and the commitment of expanded learning programs to engage in a quality improvement process.

Instructions for Completing a Quality Improvement Plan http://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/post/cde-exld-site-level-cqi-planning-tool

This document is intended to provide local sites with a resource for improving program quality and is created as one option for Expanded Learning Programs to use. Programs have the choice of using any program improvement plan framework, including a locally created tool. If you choose to use the document created by the California Department of Education (CDE), do not send it to the CDE, it is only presented as a possible framework for this process.

Quality Program Improvement Plan Template http://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/post/cde-exld-site-level-cqi-planning-tool

This document is intended to provide local sites with a resource for improving program quality and was created as a one option for Expanded Learning Programs to use. Programs have the choice of using any program improvement plan framework, including a locally created tool. If you use this California Department of Education (CDE) created document it will not be sent to the CDE for review/submission.

Quality Standards in Action Videos

htthttps://www.caexpandedlearning.com/

The Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in California are a set of 12 standards used to describe high levels of “Quality” of a program at the programmatic, staff, and participant levels. To bring these standards to life, The California Department of Education’s Expanded Learning Division (CDE’s EXLD) has created Quality Standards in Action Video. The purpose of these videos is to provide a visual display to guide programs from a practical view point. In total, we are producing six video ranging that will highlight the characteristics of each of the Point-of-Service Quality Standards. Currently, Quality Standards in Action Videos have been created and released for three of the six Point of Service Quality Standards. These videos include Youth Voice and Leadership, Active and Engaged Learning, and Safe and Supportive Environment. The CDE’s EXLD is encouraging expanded learning professionals and stakeholders to access, view, download, and share the videos.