Strengthening and Safeguarding Quality

Year Published: 2016

Authors: Elizabeth Starr, M.Ed., Sasha Stavsky, M.A., and Ellen S. Gannett, M.Ed.

Children and youth can benefit — academically, socially, and emotionally — from afterschool programs. Unfortunately, often those most in need have less access to high-quality programs, in large part because of a history of decentralization and disorganization in the afterschool field. City leaders have come to understand that the problem of access to afterschool programs is not solved by simply paying for more programs (Afterschool Alliance, 2014). In recent years, many cities have begun to build afterschool systems to address the problem.

In 2003, the Wallace Foundation began an initiative with five cities — Boston, Chicago, New York City, Providence, and Washington — to help them develop afterschool systems. In 2012, the foundation launched a Next Generation Afterschool System - Building Initiative(ASB)

This report documents the work of the ASB Quality Role-Alike Group and shares the collective lessons learned. Specific examples and best practices from the nine ASB partners are spotlighted throughout.