This report exemplifies use of the suite of SEL measures and benchmarks in the American Youth Circus Organizations network.
Citation: Smith, C., Roy, L., Peck, S., & Macleod, C. (2017). Evaluation of program quality and social and emotional learning in American Youth Circus Organization social circus programs. Retrieved January 2018 from American Youth Circus Organization website: http://www.americancircuseducators.org/sel/.
Design study for the Summer Learning Program Quality Intervention (SLPQI): Final-year intervention design and evaluation results
This paper describes implementation and outcomes for QIS in school-based summer learning programs in multiple cities.
Oklahoma afterschool improvement process: Evaluation of 5 year trajectories
This paper describes validity of QIS performance measures and longitudinal change over four years in Oklahoma 21st CCLC programs.
Preparing youth to thrive: Methodology and findings from the social and emotional learning challenge
This technical report describes methodology and findings for (1) best-practice SEL standards, (2) validation of a suite of SEL performance measures for use in QIS, and (3) performance benchmarks for out-of-school time programs focused on building SEL skills with vulnerable children/youth.
Citation: Smith, C., McGovern, G., Peck., S.C., Larson, R., Hillaker, B., Roy, L. (2016). Preparing Youth to Thrive: Methodology and Findings from the Social and Emotional Learning Challenge. Forum for Youth Investment, Washington, D.C.
Quality-outcomes study for Seattle Public Schools summer programs, 2016 program cycle
This paper compares outcomes for struggling students in high quality instructional settings to outcomes for similar students in low quality instructional settings.
Framing an evidence based decision about 21st CCLC: How do we see the value?
In this policy commentary, we do some reasoning about how 21st CCLC produces value and discuss the limitations in one particular way of seeing that value – the intent-to-treat impact evaluation design.
Afterschool quality systems
This paper describes areas of broad consensus in the out-of-school time field, including the growing focus on SEL skills.
Citation: Smith, C., Akiva, T., McGovern, G. and Peck, S.C. (2014), Afterschool quality. New Directions for Youth Development, 2014: 31-44. https://doi.org/10.1002/yd.20111
Moving the needle on moving the needle: Next stage technical guidance for performance based accountability systems in the expanded learning field with a focus on performance levels for the quality of instructional services
This paper introduces the nomenclature of performance-based accountability systems (PBAS) to the expanded learning field, provides a policy case study for a countywide system in southern Florida and uses data from that system to explore the issue of quality thresholds. We present an expanded design standard to guide development and improvement of PBAS policies and further develop a theory of lower-stakes accountability to guide effective use of incentives of various types. Findings suggest that (1) the PBAS framework defines critical concepts and improves our ability to describe existing quality improvement systems, (2) the Youth Program Quality Assessment (Youth PQA) can be used to produce a program rating of sufficient reliability for use in a PBAS, and (3) that the Palm Beach County PBAS design is an exemplar for expanded learning policies.
Citation: Smith, C., Akiva, T., McGovern, G. and Peck, S.C. (2014), Afterschool quality. New Directions for Youth Development, 2014: 31-44. https://doi.org/10.1002/yd.20111
Measuring youth skills in expanded learning systems: Case study for reliability and validity of the YDEKC skill measures and technical guidance for local evaluators
This paper uses pattern-centered methods to increase the usefulness of information available from survey-based skill measures, with a focus on using survey-based skills measures to detect skill change over time.
Development and early validation evidence for an observational measure of high quality instructional practice for science, technology, engineering and mathematics in out-of-school time settings: The STEM supplement to the Youth Program Quality Assessment
This report describes the process of development of the STEM supplement to the Youth Program Quality Assessment (Youth PQA; HighScope, 2005) and preliminary reliability and validity evidence based on data collected during Afterzone Summer Scholars program.
Citation: Smith, C., Hallman, S., Hillaker, B., Sugar, S., McGovern, G., & Devaney, E. (2012). Development and early validation evidence for an observational measure of high quality instructional practice for science, technology, engineering and mathematics in out-of-school time settings: The stem supplement to the youth program quality assessment (pp. 1–25). Ypsilanti, MI: The David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality.