Document Library

This publication provides an overview of the types of professional development available in the out-of-school time field, outcomes participants or organizations can expect related to each type of professional development opportunity, principles of effective professional development for trainers, managers, and front-line staff, and considerations individuals and/or organizations must make when deciding on deploying resources for professional development.  These include decisions related to cost and investment, learning-readiness, assessing staff needs and interests, creating incentives, and assessing impact.

Afterschool Programs and Expanded Learning Opportunities in New York State: A Systems-Building Policy Agenda is a four-page updated framework to guide our approach to building a youth-services system. It includes principles about ELOs, statistics about the statewide need for ELOs, system-building and funding goals and principles, policy actions, and an updated funding chart.

Expanded Learning Opportunities: A Guide for Policymakers is a two-page document that outlines the value, impact, and benefits of high-quality afterschool programs and other ELOs.

This is the final report on Quality Comes First: A Leadership Institute for the Managers of New York’s Afterschool Funding Initiatives (“the Institute”), an innovative professional development experience for public agency staff (Program Managers) who oversee New York State and City investments in afterschool programs.

The QSA Tool is intended to help program leaders and staff, in collaboration with other stakeholders, to better understand the indicators of a high-quality program and reflect on all aspects of their program's operation. The QSA Tool can be used by a wide variety of programs, including both school and community-based programs that operate before and after school, and during summers and other school breaks.

The New York State Afterschool Network's (NYSAN) Program Quality Self-Assessment (QSA) Tool is an instrument used by program providers to assess the quality of and make improvements to their out-of-school time programs. This User's Guide complements use of the QSA Tool by providing practical strategies and examples from afterschool practitioners on best practices related to self-assessment and program improvement. The QSA Tool is also included in the User’s Guide.

Physical health and wellness are among the core developmental needs critical to child well-being, and afterschool programs are venues that can support good health by providing nutritious food, creating opportunities for physical activity, and offering health education. This policy brief will focus on the issues related to child and youth health, the resources afterschool programs provide, and how to expand the role of afterschool programs to better promote healthy physical development.