An exciting initiative to improve the quality of youth programs, offered through Ready by 21 and the Central Texas Afterschool Network (CTAN)

Research has demonstrated that:

1. High-quality programs can influence key developmental outcomes for children and youth.
2. Accurate, accessible data about program quality can influence staff practice and drive planning and decision-making at the system level.

The Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA) is a nationally validated instrument for program quality based on four key areas that have been proven to impact positive youth development: safe environments, supportive environments, interaction and engagement. 

Request an Assessment for Fall 2011

 The YPQA is validated for programs that:

• serve youth whose ages correspond to grades 4 - 12th
• are ongoing (tutoring, arts, theatre group, recreation program, college readiness, sports and fitness, etc.) rather than a one-time session or event
• have at least 4 youth that participate regularly

Your program must meet the above criteria for an external assessment to be valid.  Please do not request an assessment for programs not meeting these criteria.

Assessments cover about 45-60 minutes of a program offering. They are conducted by external assessors who have been trained and validated by the Center for Youth Program Quality.   Executive Directors must approve requests to assess their organization's programs.  After the assessment cycle has been completed, managers participate in a Planning with Data session to learn how to use the assessment results for program improvement.

YPQA is used to assess programs based on the concepts in the pyramid below.

See the Youth Program Quality Assessment tools and examples of scores reports 

The assessment is part of an overall initiative to improve quality at the point of service - where youth, adults, and resources come together.  The initiative also includes professional development for front line staff specifically designed to improve program quality.

See the list of professional development offerings. 

Contact Laura La Fuente for more information at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it