Quality is "Job One"?

The days to the Quality Forum are short - the questions around "quality" as it relates to out-of-school time seem to grow. "Quality" is one of those terms that we hear a great many times - from corporations, from product salespeople, from former automotive giants. Whether "job one" or "continuous improvement" or "quality improvement" or other flashy catch phrases and academically or research supported systems, the question remains - what is a quality out-of-school program?

Also, built into this question is other question. Who asks for this "quality."

If "out-of-school time" is any program that works with children but is not run directly by public education employees then these program include more than "after-school" and reach into museums, summer camps, and enrichment programs - even if some part of these programs take place within the confines of a public school facility or during the hours of school and in collaboration with school teachers or officials. Out-of-school is an approach that transcends programmatic focus, mission, or population as it is a number of very diverse programs bringing ways of learning that may differ (not detract but differ) from the approach the public system is currently taking.

Perhaps, then, quality is different for different programs but can be measured if those measurements are directed to the focus of the program or the ability of staff to create the type of environment where children and youth are cared for and can learn - differently.

And who asks for quality? Yes, regulators, funders, parents, politicos, endorsers, and sundry other influences that have piled on to the backs of programs.

However, it is children and youth that ask for this. True, no seven year old will say, "can I have a quality program and how are you going to assess this so that I know both empirically and based on research drawn from data that was appropriately cleaned and triangulated that my youth outcomes improve based on my attendance" - which seems what many are asking site coordinators and program directors - but "What am I doing today?"

That's at the center of quality, a child or youth asking - "what am I doing today?" Right now, in the moment.

Our job is to make that "doing" fun, engaging, learning, positive, supportive, and safe.

Each one of these elements may be measured in great detail - what is "fun" how do we know when we are having "fun" - however, is that appropriate for a field where the work is not to answer philosophical conundrums but to provide a point-of-service.

How about measuring:

Children or youth participation by attendance of program
What days do children or youth come? When are they picked up? How much of the year or season do they stay? Do they also use the program for other times of the year?

Children or youth return rates
Do children and youth keep coming back?

Parent or family involvement
Do parents pick their children up early? Do they attend events or assist in the program?

Staff retention
Do staff work the duration of the program? Do they return again to work another season or year? When they leave, do they continue to work in a similar position or move on to a higher position?

Children or youth satisfaction
What do they say about the program? Do they feel stuck there or can't wait to attend?

Perhaps by focusing on measurements that are obtainable by programs, meaningful data can be gathered and program quality can be assessed not by a multitude of indicators, but by a finite number of contact points that can span programmatic type, approach, and environment.