Program Quality
The research is clear – children and youth participating in high-quality afterschool, out-of-school and summer programs have higher grades, better school attendance, greater skills and healthier behaviors. Colorado currently does not have a unifying set of quality standards for school-aged youth in afterschool programs. To help fill this gap, CAP is currently assessing Colorado’s landscape of quality systems, collaborating with state offices on credentialing and licensing, and seeking feedback from local providers.
Additionally, there are several programs from other states that follow local, state and/or national curricula, licensing standards, and/or accreditations. Examples may be found here:
California Afterschool Network Program Quality
Indiana Afterschool Network Program Quality Self-Assessment
New York State Network for Youth Success Quality Self-Assessment Tool
Youth and School Age Program Quality Assessment
Professional Development
Professional development is key to the delivery of quality programs that create better outcomes for all Colorado youth.
Interested in professional development? Learn more from these national resources:
