Hello CAN Quality Committee,

As you are likely aware, the CAN Quality Committee convened Work Group 3 (WG3) for the purpose of creating recommendations on the rollout of the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in California as well as what kinds of information, tools, and technical assistance the field would need to address recent shifts in policy and practice for expanded learning programs. 

We are happy to announce that today, these recommendations are finalized and available for release! Our hope is that the recommendations attached catalyze cohesive field action. Thank you to the dedicated group of individuals (see below) for all your support and contributions to this meaningful and consequential work. 

The Context for WG3 Recommendations: 

In 2014, the California Department of Education (CDE) adopted quality standards as a guide for expanded learning programs across the state. In 2015, the Governor signed SB1221 into law (now codified as EC 8484 (a) (2)), which requires all CDE expanded learning grantees to show evidence that they are engaged in a quality improvement process towards the California quality standards. To be well-implemented, these two initiatives will require a significant amount of attention and time from stakeholders across the expanded learning field, including the CDE’s After School Division (ASD staff), k-12 districts, expanded learning providers, and technical assistance (TA) providers. This paper describes specific recommendations about what information, tools, and TA the field will need in order to be successful, who should develop those supports, and in what timeframe. Work Group 3 of CAN’s Quality Committee was convened for two meetings to develop these recommendations. Work Group 3 follows Work Group 1, which developed the quality standards, and Work Group 2, which developed Standards in Action to provide descriptions for each of the standards. 

Quality Committee Work Group 3 Recommendations

Work Group 3 of the California Afterschool Network’s (CAN’s) Quality Committee was convened for two meetings, with additional virtual discussion to develop these recommendations. The Work Group hopes that the recommendations  are useful to the ASD staff and the field more broadly. The recommendations outline what kinds of information, tools and TA are needed for effective implementation of the quality standards and the cycle of quality improvement (CQI). The Work Group intended to advise and support the ASD staff and its System of Support Work Group, which is focused specifically on the ASD staff’s resources and supports but also provide more broad recommendations to the expanded learning field and stakeholders.  

The recommendations are divided into three sections for short-term (in the next year), mid-term (in the next 2-3 years) and long-term (in the next 3 to 5 years). The intention is to outline the supports that are needed over time as the field gains familiarity, skills and experience in CQI. Each entry also states what audience the support should be most immediately targeted to reach, and who should take the lead role in the process of developing the support – CDE, the field or CDE and the field together. 

The Work Group hopes that stakeholders will use these recommendations in the spirit in which they were intended – to strengthen supports and opportunities for young people across California who deserve to realize their full potential as empowered, productive, and positive members of society. We hope that you and your team find these recommendations useful as we all work together to establish and strengthen a cohesive system of support for expanded learning programs. 

Thank you to our dedicated WG3 Members

• Diego Arancibia, ASAPconnect, Quality Committee Co-Chair
• Katie Brackenridge, Partnership for Children & Youth, Quality Committee Co-Chair  
• Tommy Brewer, THINK Together
• Stacey Daraio, Temescal Associates
• Frank Escobar, Visalia Unified School District
• Mary Jo Ginty, Region 11 Lead, Los Angeles County Office of Education
• Keith Herron, Target Excellence
• Melena Kaye, Ukiah Unified School District
• Ian Keiller, A World Fit for Kids
• Patrik Lundh, SRI Education
• Julie Sesser, Region 6 Lead, Stanislaus County Office of Education
• Mike Snell, California Teaching Fellows Foundation
• Harry Talbot, Los Angeles Unified School District
• Jeff Davis, California AfterSchool Network
• Tritia Moneypenny, Consultant to Work Group 3