Accomplishments:
- Arizona Afterschool Directory, the state’s only centralized, bilingual (English and Spanish) database of organized afterschool and out-of-school time programs was launched in July 2012 searchable by parents for both school year and summer programming – an invaluable data source for policymakers.
- Launched a three year, continuous quality improvement process in November 2012 with the formation of a 30 member, statewide committee to develop Arizona quality afterschool standards.
- Phases two and three of the quality improvement process will include promotion and utilization of self-assessment tools and the creation of a professional development system aligned to the standards and assessment tools developed.
- Creation of statewide Directors’ Leadership Council as a forum for afterschool leadership to network, share best practices and advocate for quality afterschool programming.
- Continued expansion of diverse, quality professional development trainings for afterschool staff and supervisors.
Current Projects and Initiatives:
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AzCASE was awarded a grant from the National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education and Families to sponsor a statewide mayoral summit on afterschool. Summit attendees identified priorities and potential strategies for:
- Increasing the availability and accessibility of afterschool programs.
- Supporting afterschool program quality.
- Using afterschool programs to provide youth with workforce readiness skills.
- The publication of Young Minds Keep Learning Even After the School Day Ends will systematically change the delivery of afterschool programming within the county by focusing on four key areas: awareness, access, coordination and quality.
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AzCASE partnered with Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute to conduct a Web-based survey of afterschool programs in Maricopa and Pima counties.
- Data from the afterschool program survey will be used to upgrade a newly revamped Web-based afterschool directory designed to be both a statewide policy and consumer tool.
- Voices of Afterschool is an official Arizona centennial project to raise awareness about afterschool. The project features essays written by children and youth in afterschool programs focusing on, “Why they are proud to live in Arizona,” “why young people are important to Arizona’s future” and “their vision for Arizona in the next 100 years.”