There are several ways for programs to get involved that are tailored to the readiness and capacity of the program to take on measurement work. See descriptions of the Membership Levels below for more details. Regardless of the Membership Level at which a program opts to participate, each program will receive reports with their summary data, and year-round professional development and peer-learning opportunities are available to all partners. Program partners should plan to be active members in this community of practice.

Basic Membership Level

Track program impact by consolidating program activities, youth enrollment, attendance, and demographic data in a citywide database. Programs collect parental consent forms for all participating youth to be involved in data collection.

 

After the Basic Membership Level, program partners may choose to enter into the Program Quality Membership Level, the Individualized Support Membership Level, or both.

Program Quality Membership Level

All responsibilities of Basic Membership apply. Additionally, programs measure and track their program performance using the perspectives of students and a third-party observer.

 

  • The third-party observer rates the program on aspects of program organization and structure, supportive environment, engagement in activities and learning, and social-emotional skill building using the Assessment of Program Practices Tool (APT), developed by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 21st Century Community Learning Center Program.
  • The youth program participants in grades 4 and up take a common youth survey at the end of the program in which they reflect upon their program experiences and opportunities to learn certain social-emotional skills. This survey uses items from NIOST’s Survey of Academic and Youth Outcomes – Youth Version (SAYO Y) as well as from the Youth Experience Survey.

Individualized Support Membership Level

All responsibilities of Basic Membership apply. Additionally, partners administer the PEAR Institute’s Holistic Student Assessment (HSA) to students in grades 5 and up during the beginning of programming. With this survey students self-assess their social-emotional strengths. Programs then use this information to tailor their program content, deliver, and supports to the specific social-emotional needs of the students whom they serve.

Youth Outcomes Membership Level

All responsibilities of Basic Membership and Program Quality Membership apply. Additionally, the program partner assesses individual students’ skills using the Survey of Academic and Youth Outcomes – Teacher Version (SAYO T). Educators at the program complete a Pre SAYO T at the beginning of the program and a Post SAYO T at the end of the program for each student. Pre results may be used to tailor program content and delivery to the needs of students, and post results reveal whether or not students demonstrated growth in their social-emotional skills over the course of the program.

 

Program partners must participate at the Program Quality Membership Level for at least one program cycle in order to be eligible to participate at the Youth Outcomes Membership Level.

Badging Membership Level

All responsibilities of Basic, Program Quality, and Youth Outcomes Membership apply. Additionally, program educators award badges recognizing students’ social-emotional skill development based on attendance and SAYO T results.

 

Program partners must participate at the Program Quality Membership Level for at least one program cycle in order to be eligible to participate at the Badging Membership Level.