Aligning Professional Development to Continuous Quality Improvement: A Case Study of Los Angeles Unified School District’s Beyond the Bell Branch

Abstract

There is a strong, empirical link between facets of afterschool program quality and a range of positive youth outcomes. However, implementing quality programs that are more likely to produce positive youth development require a high-level of knowledge and expertise among program staff. Training staff on the critical components of high-quality programming requires approaches that are systematic, ongoing, data-driven, inclusive of all staff, embedded into their organizational roles, and supported by organizational leadership. We present a case study of a preliminary continuous quality improvement (CQI) system at the Beyond the Bell (BTB) Branch of the Los Angeles Unified School District. We discuss the components of a CQI system (i.e., strategic planning, development of tools, staff development and data use) as well as reflect on important organizational factors that promote CQI.