Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in California Released / SB 1221 Signed by the Governor

  Today, Tom Torlakson, Superintendent of Public instruction announced that the Governor has signed SB 1221 into law, and the official release of Quality Standards for Expanded Learning in California. The announcement was made in a press release this morning. 
  The purpose of the Quality Standards is to describe high levels of quality of a program at the programmatic, staff, and participant levels. 
  The quality standards are not intended to serve as a compliance tool, but as the following:

• A framework of clear expectations for all stakeholders. 
  
• A guide to inform the After School Division’s decision-making, e.g., technical assistance decisions, language in requests for application, and policy development. 
  
• A guide for program providers to assess their own programs in order to help determine what they are doing well and what needs improvement. 
  
• A guide for parents and youth to identify quality programming.
  
• A guide for school principals and district superintendents to reinforce and advance key priorities.
  
• A complement to other standards in the State of California focused on quality improvement, e.g., Learning in After School and Summer, Quality Self-Assessment Tool, Quality Self-Assessment Rubric, Center for Youth Program Quality, etc. 
  

  In addition, A Crosswalk Between the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning and Program Quality Assessment Tools (Crosswalk) was created. This Crosswalk outlines a number of available tools that can be used for quality assessment and improvement.

  SB 1221 gives priority points to programs that support year-round learning opportunities, updates program-reporting requirements by removing defunct standardized tests, focusing on program and school-day attendance by student identifier number, and requiring evidence of program quality improvement processes. This bill also requires CDE to develop a biennial report to the legislature. This bill was sponsored by CDE and the Partnership for Children and Youth.

For more information on the quality standards visit the Quality Standards page of our website.

For more information on SB 1221, visit the California Legislative Information Web page.

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