Stay on Course with Continuous Improvement

The one constant of afterschool education is change—in resources, staff, schools, kids and parents.

By committing to continuous quality improvement, you position your program to respond to changes and keep quality going and growing. It affects all program areas—from content, staffing, and operations, to sustainability, finance, space, and resources.

Continuous improvement takes effort and commitment. It begins with a systematic look at the program to assess areas of strength and those needing improvement.

Next, it entails working with staff to create a realistic, step-by-step plan to make targeted changes. Then, it calls for check-ins, reviews, reassessments, and setting of new goals and targets.

Finding time is a challenge. But as processes become established and everyone sees the results, the value and payoff are clear.

Engaging staff in continuous improvement

Actively involving staff in continuous quality improvement assessment and planning is a form of staff development and a quality-building strategy.

As staff members reflect on features of high quality programs, they see how these elements apply to their own programs and work. Their own capacity develops to see areas for improvement. Improvement steps that are developed collaboratively are much more likely to be realistic and implemented, because all understand the needs, and all shared in setting the goals.

Continuous improvement then becomes a regular part of a program culture, with all responsible for and committed to best meeting the needs of the children in the program.

Up Next: A helpful tool for building quality in your program.