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

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • University of Illinois Moves Forward with College Sports’ Largest Digital Scoreboard

    The University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., recently announced a series of upgrades to Gies Memorial Stadium that will include the largest scoreboard in college sports, according to a news release.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.