Executive Summary

Program quality assessment and improvement continue to be central themes in the after-school and youth development fields. In March 2007 we released the first edition of this report comparing the purpose, history, structure, methodology, content and technical properties of different program observation tools.

In February, UWA and the Forum received joint funding from the JC Penny Afterschool Fund to write a concept paper on the United Way of America/Ready by 21 partnership.  The paper describes strategies and activities that will be undertaken by the organizations.

These reports describe the implementation of a quality improvement system built around the Youth PQA.

The March 13, 2008 Webinar focused on Program Quality and Youth Outcomes and included presentations by Karen Pittman, Charles Smith, and Karen Finn (formerly of the Maryland Governor's Office for Children and Youth).

Find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Challenge.

By Karen Pittman, May 2003

Summer is coming. In communities across the country, nonprofits, schools, faith groups and businesses will offer young people a broad range of structured opportunities. Some of those opportunities will even give young people a chance to contribute.

The guide is designed to help states and localities create or strengthen their own youth councils. It is a synthesis of theory and practice that provides a general framework for thinking about youth councils, explaining the principles for youth action and the importance of youth engagement.

An annotated resource guide about Youth Action for Educational Change.