Investing in Success: Key Strategies for Building Quality in After-School Programs

This paper examines the relation between the implementation quality of after-school literacy activities and student reading gains. The data are from an evaluation of a multi-site after-school program in California in which continuous program quality improvement strategies were implemented to improve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of community psychology 2010-06, Vol.45 (3-4), p.394-404
Main Authors: Sheldon, Jessica, Arbreton, Amy, Hopkins, Leigh, Grossman, Jean Baldwin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activity quality
After school
After school programs
Behavioral Science and Psychology
California
Child
Clinical Psychology
Community and Environmental Psychology
Continuous program improvement
Educational Measurement
Educational Status
Female
Health Psychology
Humans
Literacy
Literacy Programs
Male
Original Paper
Personality and Social Psychology
Program Development - methods
Program Development - standards
Program Evaluation
Psychology
Public Health
Quality Control
Quality of education
Reading
Reading gains
Schools - organization & administration
Schools - standards
Students
Total Quality Management
Training
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Summary:This paper examines the relation between the implementation quality of after-school literacy activities and student reading gains. The data are from an evaluation of a multi-site after-school program in California in which continuous program quality improvement strategies were implemented to improve the delivery of a new balanced literacy program. Strategies included: (1) targeted staff training throughout the year, (2) regular observations and coaching of staff, and (3) the use of data to measure progress. Programs struggled to successfully implement these strategies early in the initiative, but gradually improved the quality and consistency of their use. Program quality, as measured through observations, also increased. Results suggested that the size of student reading gains were positively correlated with the quality of literacy programming provided by each instructor.
ISSN:0091-0562
1573-2770
DOI:10.1007/s10464-010-9296-y