The 12 Standards

1. Safe and Supportive Environment

2. Active and Engaged Learning
3. Skill Building
4. Youth Voice and Leadership
5. Healthy Choices and Behaviors
6. Diversity, Access, and Equity
7. Quality Staff
8. Clear Vision, Mission, and Purpose
9. Collaborative Partnerships
10. Continuous Quality Improvement
11. Program Management
12. Sustainability

The Importance of Defining Quality for Program Stakeholders

Quality is important to program stakeholders, but can be slightly difficult to define, as the
definition of quality varies depending on the circumstances and evaluations of a program, and
the utilization of quality data collection used during and after the evaluation.

Identify and define two of the 12 quality standards

Active and Engaged Learning
The program provides a variety of activities that are hands-on, project based, and result in
a culminating product
Staff give participants the experience of learning through multiple senses.
I chose active and engaged learning because every time I attend my fieldwork site at Extended
Day Center, I always see children engaged in a variety of different hands-on and project based
activities. Some of the activities include- building models, decorating shoe boxes, working on
mini science experiments, painting, sewing, and/or baking. I believe that these kinesthetic hands
on and project based activities are very important because they help expand and enrich a childs
mind in new and engaging ways and also helps them experiment with trial and error.

Healthy Choices and Behaviors

The program incorporates nutrition and physical activity into all facets of program design
and operating procedures
Staff model good nutrition and participating in physical activity during the program.
I also think that the standard on healthy choices and behaviors is really important to the quality
care seen at my fieldwork site. Teachers in the center foster healthy eating behaviors to children
in a variety of ways. For example, they sit with children at meals and talk about the different
taste and texture of foods to help them make healthy food choices. Teachers also encourage
children to be physically active by engaging in many outdoor play activities and sports with them.

List and Provide Links to at Least 2 Program Quality Assessment Tools from the Crosswalk
Reading

Program A Program Assessment Youth Program Quality Self-

System (APAS)
Advantages Designed for afterschool
programs and 21st Century
Community Learning Centers.
(CCLCs); as well as summer
programs and recreation
setting programs.
Research-based
Assessment Tool (YPQ)
Designed for afterschool
programs, community
organizations, schools, and
summer programs.
Excellent quality
programming for children

Inexpensive and easy-to-use

Disadvantages It may not be appropriate for
start-up programs, those
facing high staff turnover,
and/or major shifts in program
focus.
Not designed for 21st Century
Community Learning Centers
(CCLCs)

It may not be appropriate for

specialized programs (like
karate class) or those focused
solely on tutoring.
Summary A Program Assessment
System (APAS) is an inclusive
assessment designed to
ameliorate the quality of
afterschool programs. It is
directed towards programs
that care for children in grades
Kindergarten through eighth
grade. APAS comes with two
assessments- the Survey of
Academic and Youth
Outcomes (SAYO) and the
Assessing Program Tool
(APT). The SAYO assessment
evaluates the programs
outcomes in eight sections that
research shows are associated
to lasting positive
development. Whereas, APT
looks at the whole afterschool
program- which includes
homework time and all the
activities that students
participate in throughout the
program.
The Youth Program Quality
Self-Assessment Tool (YPQ)
is a research based tool
designed to help after school
programs that care for children
in grades Kindergarten
through sixth grade evaluate
the degree to which their
provides a safe and supportive
environment for the children.
This tool is used to observe
the interactions between the
children and the staff and
allows the observers to
interview the staff on how
their afterschool program
works. The data they gather
from their observations and
interviews are used to pinpoint
the areas where the staff might
need progression development
to meet the high quality
afterschool programs goals.

Finally, which tool would you recommend for use at your fieldwork site and why?
I would recommend the Youth Program Quality Self-Assessment Tool (YPQ) at my fieldwork
site because it is a great assessment to use to observe childrens daily engagement and interaction
with the staff in the center. I feel like this tool would be a great asset for my site at Extended Day
Center because it focuses on the same criteria that the assessment looks for in their observations,
such as the childrens active engagement with activities around the center, skill building,
nourishment, etc.
Reference Page
A Program Assessment System (APAS). National Institute on Out-of-School Time, Wellesley
Centers for Women, Wellesley College (February 2014). Adobe Acrobat Reader PDF File.

Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in California: Creating and Implementing a Shared
Vision of Quality. Developed by the California Department of Education after School Division
(September 2014). Retrieved February 2017 from
http://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/quality_standards.pdf

Weikart, David P. PQA: Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA): Administration Manual.
Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope, 2005. Center for Youth Program Quality (2012). Adobe Acrobat
Reader PDF File.