Quality Program Improvement Plan Instructions

This document is intended to provide local sites with a resource for improving program quality and is created as one option for Expanded Learning Programs to use. Programs have the choice of using any program improvement plan framework, including a locally created tool. If you choose to use the document created by the California Department of Education (CDE), do not send it to the CDE, it is only presented as a possible framework for this process.

Cover Page
Section I. Summary of Assessment
Section II. Quality Program Improvement Plan
Section III. Improvement

Cover Page

Complete the following fields for the cover page:

• School Year: This is the academic year in which this plan is created and executed.
• Grantee Agency: This is the name of the agency awarded the grant funding.
  
• Program Site/School: This is the name of the site where the expanded learning program is being operated.
  
• County-District-School Code (CDS)/Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN): If known, please list the CDS number or FEIN number.
  
• Grant Identification Number (ID): If known, please list the grant ID.
  
• Name of Person(s) Completing the Plan: List the person(s) involved in completing the plan.
  
• Date Completed: The date the plan was completed.
  

Section I. Summary of Assessment

• Stakeholders—After the assessment(s) are completed, please indicate all stakeholders involved in the quality improvement process. Examples are included below for reference. If other stakeholders, outside the list, were involved in the process, please list all other stakeholders under the Other Stakeholders option.
  
  
• The following categories are listed:
  
  
  • Internal Evaluator (e.g., designated staff conducting evaluation internally)
  • External Evaluator (e.g., designated outside evaluator)
  • District Administrator (e.g., superintendents, assistant superintendents, program administrators)
  • School Administrator (e.g., principals, vice principals, leadership team, etc.)
  • Certificated Staff (e.g., certificated teachers, certificated pupil support, etc.)
  • Classified Staff (e.g., teaching assistants, teacher’s aides, clerical, etc.)
  • Program Director (e.g., agency coordinator, district lead, etc.)
  • Site Coordinator (e.g., coordinator at program site(s), site lead)
  • Site Level Staff (e.g., line staff, tutor, etc.)
  • Parents/Guardians
  • Students
  • Community Partners (e.g., city, county, community based organizations, etc.)
  • Advisory Groups (e.g., school site council, English Learner Advisory Committee, etc.)
  • Other Stakeholder (list other stakeholders involved)
    
    
• Assessment Tools and Strategies—Indicate all assessment tools and strategies used to assess program needs (check all that apply). For information on available assessment tools, refer to A Crosswalk Between the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning and Program Quality Assessment Tools located on the California AfterSchool Network’s website.
  

  The following tools are listed (if another tool was used, please identify the name of the tool under Other tool or strategy):

  • California After School Program Quality Self-Assessment Tool
  • New York Program Quality Self-Assessment Tool
  • California High School After School Program Quality Self-Assessment Rubric
  • Youth Program Quality Assessment
  • Assessment of Program Practices Tool
  • Out-of-School Time Observation Instrument
  • Promising Practices Rating System
  • An Internally Designed Assessment
  • Focus Groups
  • On-site Observations
  • Interviews         
  • Surveys
  • Other Tool or Strategy
    
    
• Assessment Reflection—Using the data results from the assessment tools, summarize and reflect on the data collected by answering the following:
  
  
  • What clear data trends did the assessment present (if any)?
  • Using the data collected and the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning Programs in California, describe the program’s strengths.
  • Using the data collected and the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning Programs in California, describe areas that may require improvement for the program.
  • Which Quality Standards and areas of improvement can be addressed immediately?
  • Which Quality Standards and areas of improvement require long-term solutions?

Given the responses to the above, identify two to three high-priority needs (based on the Quality Standards) your site can realistically focus on improving.

A description of each quality standard can be found on the California AfterSchool Network’s Quality Standards for Expanded Learning website.

Section II. Quality Program Improvement Plan

Programs should reflect on what ways it is minimally addressing aspects of all 12 standards. For the purposes of the Quality Program Improvement Plan, programs should address two to three high priority needs of the expanded learning program. It is recommended for sites engaging in this process for the first time to only address one standard. Each site should identify and define the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved (along with concrete activities, identification of individual[s] responsible, and a reasonable timeline for meeting those goals). An example is given for reference.

• Goals: Goals should be aligned with the Quality Standards and tailored to the program site based on data and information collected from a recent assessment.
  
  
• Specific objectives and outcome measures: Include ways in which goals can be accomplished. Describe the specific objective(s) to address Quality Program Improvement goals. Objectives should be measurable and quantifiable (i.e., the program will provide the opportunity for students to actively share their viewpoints and interests by holding four student meetings between January 2017 and April 2017.
  
  
• Activities: Describe any and all activities, along with (1) the individual(s) responsible for carrying out the activity; (2) the given timeline date(s); and (3) the plan should also identify any support and/or technical assistance (TA) the program and its staff may need to help meet the goals and objectives.
  
  
• Support/TA: The table below includes examples of the types of support/TA that may be requested. For more information about the core strategies for TA, please refer to the After School Assistance Providers (ASAPconnect) Quality Framework web page.
  

Section III. Improvement

Sites should continuously monitor their progress in implementing the Quality Program Improvement Plan. All site personnel should understand the goals of the program and the plan to address the needs of the program. Progress checks should be documented and include the date and status of the goal(s) of the Quality Program Improvement Plan. In order to implement the Quality Program Improvement Plan with fidelity, the following questions and statements should be considered during the process:

• How is the plan’s implementation being monitored?
  • Formal Assessment (e.g., assessment tools)
  • Informal Discussion (e.g., daily communication, conversation, etc.)
  • Observation (e.g., walkthroughs)
  • Staff Meeting
  • Focus Group (e.g., meetings with parents, students, staff, etc.)
  • Other
    
    
• How are staff members being supported to meet the plan’s goals?
  
  
  • Professional Development/Training (e.g., organized trainings, activities, etc.)
  • Mentoring (e.g., mentee-mentor pairing, collaboration, etc.) 
  • Coaching (e.g., partnerships, peer-to-peer, etc.)
  • Resources (e.g., tools)
  • Curriculum (e.g., access to curriculum aligned with Common Core Standards)
  • Supplies
  • Monetary Support
  • Other

• Describe the impact the plan is making and how it has led to the improvement of services being delivered to the students.
  
  
• Date of progress check.
  
  
• Indicate any and all improvement goals met. Describe how the site met its benchmarks and what progress was made using the plan.
  • Goal Number 1
  • Progress of Goal Number 1
  • Goal Number 2
  • Progress of Goal Number 2
    
    
• Name: (name of person completing the progress check)
  
  
• Title: (title of person completing the progress check)
  
  
• Date: (date completed)

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