The purpose of the Quality Standards is to describe high levels of “Quality” of a program at the programmatic, staff, and participant levels. The quality standards are not intended to serve as a compliance tool, but as the following: 

• A framework of clear expectations for all stakeholders.
• A guide for program providers to assess their own programs in order to help determine what they are doing well and what needs improvement.
• A guide for parents and youth to identify quality programming.
• A guide for school principals and district superintendents to reinforce and advance key priorities.
• A complement to other standards in the State of California focused on quality improvement, e.g., Learning in After School and Summer, Quality Self-Assessment Tool, Quality Self-Assessment Rubric, Center for Youth Program Quality, etc.
• A guide to inform the After School Division’s decision-making, e.g., technical assistance decisions, language in requests for application, and policy development.

For additional information on the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning, visit the California Afterschool Network. 

Last revised Feb 2022.