Blog

–By Sam Piha and Rozel Cruz

Over the last two decades, we have seen an extraordinary increase in public and private investments in afterschool and summer programs. As these investments and the number of afterschool and summer programs grew, there was an increased demand that programs provide a consistent level of quality. As a result, many afterschool and summer researchers and organizations developed tools that helped programs define and guide program quality. (Afterschool and summer programs are also referred to as expanded learning programs and out-of-school time programs).

The objectives of this paper are to 1) introduce afterschool and summer program stakeholders to both the LIAS principles and the CA Quality Standards; 2) offer a comparison as to how the LIAS principles correspond to the CA Quality Standards; and 3) how both speak to the quality equation. Read the Paper

— By Sam Piha and Samantha Waters

There is a growing awareness in our society that gender is more than the sex that is assigned at birth. In the popular media, we have been introduced to Caitlin Jenner and followed the challenges as portrayed in the Netflix TV series, Transparent. The issues of gender identity and children have been well chronicled on the Public Broadcasting NewsHour and its cousin, Frontline. Increasingly, schools are struggling in the courts to fully address the rights of transgender youth: how to address the needs to access restrooms and locker rooms that are based on gender and engage in activities in alignment with a youth’s affirmed gender.

While gender identity is complicated, leaders of youth programs are invited to better understand these issues. They are especially important to ensure that youth programs provide a safe place for all youth. We know from research that a sense of physical and emotional safety is a core component of any quality youth program. It is also the first program characteristic cited in California’s Quality Standards for Expanded Learning Programs.

Social emotional learning and other frameworks that list important skills for success cite self-awareness, social awareness, interpersonal skills, self-efficacy, and growth mindset It is important to note that many of the solutions involve efforts to reduce gender bias and stereotyping – something that is good for all youth. Below, we offer a brief overview of gender identity issues.

Get the Brief.

— By Sam Piha, Joshua Julian, and Rozel Cruz, Temescal Associates

This new research paper by Temescal Associates, discusses the implementation challenges and successes of Proposition 49, reviews the current afterschool landscape in California and offers recommendations to afterschool stakeholders as they move forward in an increasingly challenging economic environment. In addition to the valuable background on Proposition 49, I found that the study was able to capture the importance of research and evaluation in promoting afterschool. As a self-proclaimed data junkie, I appreciate the call for more research to better understand the role afterschool programs play in enriching the lives of children and helping working families; balanced with the recognition that to make this possible, clear and apt evaluative criterion must be established and it is essential that appropriate measurement tools and resources are available. Read the article.