Quality Standards

GUIDING PRINCIPLE:
A quality program communicates and collaborates with school personnel to ensure that afterschool programming and activities complement and support school day learning, support performance standards, and build strong content knowledge and academic skills in youth.

2.1  Establishes and maintains strong and intentional links to the school day

2.2  Supports the Georgia Standards of Excellence and Local Education Agency (LEA) priorities

2.3 Provides hands-on learning opportunities for participants to develop knowledge in content areas that complement the school day

2.4  When appropriate, incorporates academic support, including homework assistance and/or tutoring

2.5  Ensures that youth develop key academic skills, including research and study skills

GUIDING PRINCIPLE:
A quality program offers a safe, welcoming, and well-maintained environment that supports the physical comfort and developmental needs of all youth. The space is intentionally designed to support strong programming and reflect youth voices, interests, and ways of engaging.

3.1  Has a physically safe and clean environment

3.2  Ensures that the space, equipment, and materials are suitable for the ages, skill levels, and abilities of youth and meet the program’s needs

3.3  Adheres to state and local licensing and exemption requirements

3.4  Supports youth in navigating the learning space independently, taking initiative, and exploring their interests

3.5  Offers frequent access to nature and/or an outdoor space when possible

3.6  Has a physical environment that reflects youth interests, creativity, and the work they produce during program activities

3.7  Allows for the inclusion and engagement of differently-abled youth

3.8  Reflects and incorporates the backgrounds, communication styles, and lived experiences of youth and their families

3.9  Provides intentional character education and opportunities for moral action that promote core values in all domains of youths’ lives

GUIDING PRINCIPLE:
A quality program fosters and nurtures positive relationships and interactions among staff, youth, families, and communities; provides respectful environment that is safe from teasing, bullying, and violence; and values the unique perspectives and experiences each person brings.

4.1  Builds positive relationships with youth that are supportive and nurturing

4.2  Ensures that staff are role models of positive and respectful adult relationships

4.3  Incorporates relationship-building opportunities among peers and ensures that youth interact with one another in positive ways

4.4  Teaches and encourages use of conflict resolution skills among youth

4.5  Reinforces positive behavior and employs strength-based techniques to address behavioral issues

GUIDING PRINCIPLE:
A quality program supports and promotes the overall well-being of youth by fostering emotional safety, connectedness, and opportunities to be physically active. It encourages healthy habits and daily routines while creating an environment where all youth feel valued and engaged.

5.1  Provides a supportive environment where youth can express themselves without fear of judgment, that is free from bullying and harassment

5.2  Offers regular opportunities for youth to engage in physical fitness and build health and nutrition skills and knowledge

5.3  When suitable to program duration, incorporates nutritious snack and/or meal options if provided

5.4  Communicates with families to ensure that staff are aware of the individualized needs and special health concerns of youth

5.5  Seeks to connect families and caregivers with information and community resources to support the well-being of families and youth

GUIDING PRINCIPLE:
A quality program employs staff and volunteers who value each youth and their lived experiences, understand youths’ physical and developmental needs, and develop mutually respectful working relationships with coworkers, youth, families and caregivers, and other partners. A quality program supports the professional growth of staff and volunteers by providing ongoing professional development that is accessible to all staff and bolsters the knowledge and skill necessary for implementing best practice programming.

6.1  Utilizes formal and informal performance evaluation processes for staff and volunteers, and provides appropriate supervision, support, coaching, and feedback

6.2  Offers all staff and volunteers ongoing professional development and fosters a commitment to continual growth

6.3  Ensures that staff and volunteers are given opportunities to build competence in academic and skill-based domains, as appropriate to their positions

6.4  Trains staff to plan and implement programming and activities that are appropriate for the age, skill level, development, abilities and interests of youth

6.5  Monitors and maintains staff-to-youth ratio as per state and local regulations

6.6  Holds regular staff meetings

6.7  Offers training to ensure compliance with OCGA § 19-7-5(c)(1) (Mandated Reporter of Child Abuse or Neglect)

GUIDING PRINCIPLE:
A quality program has a clear mission and well-defined goals, sound fiscal management, and clear policies and procedures that support quality and sustainability.

7.1  Clearly defines the organization’s mission, vision, values, and goals and aligns this framework with specific outcomes to measure progress

7.2  Develops and employs an employee handbook that specifies internal policies and procedures and ensures staff are oriented to its contents

7.3  Establishes program policies and procedures and makes them available to families, caregivers and stakeholders

7.4  Establishes and maintains clear attendance and participation expectations

7.5  Maintains a system for the collection and monitoring of youth attendance data

7.6  Has responsive behavior guidance expectations for youths’ behaviors

7.7  Maintains confidential records on all youth and ensures records are up to date

7.8  Adheres to state and local licensing requirements (e.g., health certificate, security clearance, insurance, etc.)

7.9  Maintains a sound budget; reviews and adjusts budget periodically and as necessary

1.10  Completes all required reports and submits them in a timely manner

7.11  Ensures that lesson plans are available and accurate, and the program schedule and room assignments are posted

GUIDING PRINCIPLE:
A quality program has measurable program and outcomes-based goals that are co-created by stakeholders and a system and plan in place for gathering data, engaging in data-driven decision-making, implementing program improvement strategies, and regularly reassessing outcomes.

8.1  Delineates measurable program goals and objectives that reflect the organization’s mission

8.2  Selects and implements appropriate assessment tools to measure the effectiveness of program practices and status of youth outcomes

8.3  Obtains and analyzes data and compares findings to the organization’s mission, goals, and objectives

8.4  Employs data to design and implement an improvement plan that has measurable goals and objectives

8.5  Continually engages in data-driven decision making and regularly reassesses findings

8.6  Develops the capacity in staff to carry out the data-driven decision-making process as a team

GUIDING PRINCIPLE:
A quality program builds meaningful relationships and collaborates with families and caregivers to enhance programming and foster the healthy development of youth. A quality program develops community partnerships to establish an educative community and form an interconnected network that supports the holistic well-being of youth.

9.1  Builds meaningful relationships with families and caregivers and interacts with them in respectful, engaging, and welcoming ways

9.2  Develops and maintains community collaborations to improve and extend programming

9.3  Communicates with families and caregivers regarding youths’ needs and well-being

9.4  Solicits and incorporates the input of families and caregivers in decision making