Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

New Standards of Quality Released for Afterschool Programs

  • 02/02/18

New York (PRWEB) – Today, the Council on Accreditation (COA), a national accreditor of afterschool programs and organizations, announces the release of updated standards of best practice for afterschool (out-of-school time) programs. With this release, COA is emphasizing key practices that are critical for the developmental growth of children and youth through participation in high-quality afterschool programs. Notable among the updates to the standards are a) enhanced continuous quality improvement practices; b) an emphasis on strengthening program design; c) highlighting practices that support social-emotional development; and d) the promotion of best practices for specific program types, including: arts education, academic enrichment (including STEM and literacy), mentoring, college and career readiness, health and wellness, and homework help and tutoring.

Richard Klarberg, COA’s President and CEO, said, “The release of the revised standards for afterschool programs could not have come at a more important time for the out-of-school time field. Emphasizing what research has to say about the practices that promote quality in out-of-school time through the revised standards, coupled with the external validation of quality provided by the accreditation process provides an avenue for programs and organizations to improve and demonstrate the quality of the services they provide to their communities.”

The standards were revised in consultation with leading organizations in the field, including: the Afterschool Alliance, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Children and Youth Services Division – City of Decatur, GA, Child Trends, Coalition for Community Schools/Institute for Educational Leadership, Department of the Army, US Department of Defense, Douglas County School District, Colorado, Foundations, Inc., Kids Included Together, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, National AfterSchool Association, National Center for Families Learning, National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment, National Institute on Out of School Time, Partnership for 21st Century Learning, United Way of Northern New Jersey, YMCA of the USA, and YWCA.

The revised standards are free and available to the public at go.coanet.org/OSTStandards.

Featured

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Academy of Classical Education Breaks Ground in Louisiana

    Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) recently announced the groundbreaking of a new public charter school in Covington, La., according to a news release. The Academy of Classical Education at Covington will enroll students in grades K–8 and is scheduled for completion in August 2026, just in time for the new school year.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Kimball International Releases Curated Design Support Program

    Commercial furnishings company Kimball International recently announced the launch of a new end-to-end design support program, DesignSuite. According to a news release, its goal is to guide architecture & design professionals and dealer partners through the process from vision to specification.