QUALITY GUIDELINES
In 2011, the Kansas Quality Afterschool Leadership Team developed a framework, guidelines, and self-assessment tool to aid program staff in providing high quality services for youth originally.
Through the support of the Kansas Enrichment Network’s executive committee and the 2017-2018 Quality Afterschool Workgroup participants, a second edition of the quality guidelines and self-assessment has been produced. The second edition includes only additions to the original guidelines and self-assessment tool as well as resources.
Required Documents

Kansas Afterschool Program Quality Guidelines and Self-Assessment Tools

Core Competencies for Early Childhood and Youth Development Professionals
Get Started
- Operations
- Programming
- Relationships
- Family Engagement
- Professional Development
- Additional Considerations
Guideline
Assessment
Resources
Staffing Out-of-School Time Programs in the 21st Century
Staffing the Program
A Practitioner’s Guide: Building and Managing Quality Afterschool Programs
Getting It Right
Kansas Department of Health and Environment (licensing)
Union County Public Schools (manual/policy examples)
Utah 4H Afterschool Guide
Keys to Quality Afterschool: Environments, Relationships and Experiences
Beyond the Bell
Guideline
Assessment
Resources
Child & Adult Care Food Program
USDA Food and Nutrition Service
Food Research & Action Center
The National Center for Quality Afterschool – curriculum for Art, Homework, Literacy, Math, Science, Technology
Taking a Deeper Dive into Afterschool: Positive Outcomes and Promising Practices
Afterschool Curriculum Planning Resource Toolkit
Concept to Classroom: Key principles of developing an afterschool curriculum
Kids Activities
Youth Impact: A LEARNS Resource
Youth.gov
Keys to Quality Afterschool: Environments, Relationships and Experiences
Hart’s Ladder
Y4Y: Project Based Learning
CAN: Promising Practices in High School After School Programs
NAA: Project Based Learning
National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment
Guideline
Assessment
Resources
Building Supportive Relationships in Afterschool
NAA: 4 Easy Strategies to Build Supportive Afterschool Relationships (Webinar)
NAA: 10 Tips Building Relationships with Youth
Tips for Building Relationships with Youth
Afterschool Network: Communicates and Develops Positive Relationships with Youth
Teaching Tolerance: Authentic Relationships
You for Youth (Y4Y) Family Engagement Implementation
Building Youth – Adult Relationships (Students at the Center)
Example of Parent Handbook
PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships
PTA National Standards for Family-School Partnerships: An Implementation Guide
Kansas Education Systems Accreditation – Framework: The Five R’s
Guideline
Assessment
Resources
REACH: Supportive Relationships with Adults
Afterschool Alliance: Afterschool and partnerships
The Expanded Learning & Afterschool Project: Top Ten Ways to Build School and Community Partnerships
National Association of Elementary School Principals
Program Newsletter Template
Social Media Tips
Four Takeaways from STEM Programs That Empower Families
Guideline
Assessment
Resources
Kansas Department of Health and Environment (licensing)NAA: Professional Development
NJ STEM Pathways Network: Cultural Competencies
Research-to-Results Child Trends
National Center for Quality Afterschool: Afterschool Training Tool
Statewide Afterschool Network Professional Development
Child Trends Professional Development
New York State Afterschool Network: Professional Development, Resources, and Considerations
Teaching Tolerance: Professional Development
You for Youth (Y4Y): Afterschool Toolkit
Beyond the Bell
Promoting Diversity, Access, Equity & Inclusions
Equity Checklist
Student Outcome Matrix
Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA)
S.T.E.M. Rich Programs
Curriculum Vetting Tool
Resources
STEM Professional Development Tools (Afterschool Alliance)
STEM Professional Development Tools (Click2Science)
Four Takeaways from STEM Programs That Empower Families
Navigating Social and Emotional Learning from the Inside Out
Preparing for Effective SEL Implementation
Additional Documents
