Assessment & Evaluation

A Crosswalk Between the LIA Learning Principles and Afterschool Quality Measurement Tools By Sam Piha and Corey Newhouse
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During the roll out of the Learning in Afterschool project, several afterschool leaders asked how the Learning in Afterschool learning principles correspond to afterschool quality measurement tools that are currently being used in the field. In response, we offer this paper, which identifies the overlap between the learning principles promoted by the Learning in Afterschool project with six program quality measurement tools.

Through this comparison, authors Sam Piha and Corey Newhouse establish the strong relationship between the Learning in Afterschool learning principles and what you would expect to see in a quality afterschool program. This paper identifies which learning principles are most aligned with program quality measurement tools and which seem to be absent from the quality equation.

A Practitioners Guide: Building and Managing Quality Afterschool Programs (SEDL National Center For Quality Afterschool)
This Guide is intended to share the insights of SEDL’s National Partnership for Quality Afterschool Learning, as well as information about both the academic, and the organizational and management practices that successful afterschool programs use. The tool is organized into the following four focus areas:

• program organization
• academic programming practices
• supportive relationships in afterschool
• achieving program outcomes

Within each focus area, we describe the key practices of successful programs. In addition, we provide a Quality-O-Meter tool to help you reflect on your practices and a "Planning for Action" tool to help you document plans for implementing practices to increase your program’s quality. Download Guide

Coalition for Science Afterschool
The Harvard-McLean Hospital program now has a searchable database of assessment tools for informal science, especially in museums, schools, after school and summer programs. ATIS - Assessment Tools in Informal Science is a resource designed to help practitioners, evaluators, researchers and policy makers select appropriate tools to assess the quality of science learning and child outcomes especially in out-of-school time programs.

Assessment Tools in Informal Science: Find the right assessment tool to measure performance of informal and out-of-school science, technology, engineering and math programs. Read More

The Coalition for Science Afterschool has also compiled a list of staff development resources that our members have found useful in increasing the quality and effectiveness of their programs. Read More

Elev8 NM Extended Learning Self Assessment Toolkit
This tool is free and can be used for both self assessment and observation. The tool was designed by Elev8 NM in partnership with the New York State Afterschool Network with the New Mexico context in mind. The tool is appropriate for programs serving grades K-12 and is build around quality elements rather than program content. Download PDF

Exemplary Practices Guide (Quality Self Assessment Tool)
The Center for Collaborative Solutions (CCS) and the Community Network for Youth Development (CNYD) 2004-created self-assessment tool  Read More

Global Learning in Afterschool Self-Assessment Tool
Build a Better Global Afterschool Program! The Global Learning in Afterschool Self-Assessment Tool serves as a guide for programs that wish to bolster their program design, environment, activities, and policies to build global competence in youth. It can be used for guiding preliminary discussions on global learning in afterschool as much as it can be used as a measurement on progress to date. Read More

Harvard Family Research Project
The Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) has resources to help stakeholders develop and evaluate strategies to promote the well being of children, youth, families, and their communities. Their website includes a searchable database of research studies and evaluations of out-of-school time programs and initiatives, as well as The Evaluation Exchange, a periodical that contains new lessons and emerging strategies for evaluating programs and policies, particularly those focused on children, families, and communities.

The Out-of-School Time (OST) Program Evaluation Database is a comprehensive collection of profiles written by HFRP staff of OST program evaluations. Read More

Logic Model Toolkit (Harvard Family Institute)
Logic models are a concise way to show how a program is designed and will make a difference for a program's participants and community. On one sheet of paper, a logic model summarizes the key elements of your program, reveals the rationale behind your approach, articulates your intended outcomes and how they can be measured, and shows the cause-and-effect relationships between your program and its intended outcomes.

Usable Knowledge provides an easy to follow Logic Model video will help you develop a Logic Model for your program. Read More

National Youth Employment Coalition: PEPNet, the Promising and Effective Practices Network
PEPNet is a system for enhancing the quality of programs that link young people (ages 12 to 25) to work and education to promote a successful transition to adulthood.

• Register for free online access to all the PEPNet evaluation and assessment tools. Read More

The SEDL National Center for Quality Afterschool
Helping local practitioners and state education agencies develop high-quality and balanced programs. Download Toolkit