Program Self-Assessment

North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP) examined how programs best support children and youth. Representing the diversity of North Carolina afterschool programs, the NC CAP Board considered the thinking and experience of providers, researchers, and other professionals, in North Carolina and across the country, to determine what high quality programs have in common. In response, the center endorses nine quality indicators:Goals for Program Management and Delivery

Safe, Healthy, and Orderly Environment
Qualified and Diverse Staff
Opportunities to Learn in Diverse Environments

Goals for Program Connections

Positive Participant and Staff Interactions
Active Family and Community Partnerships
Consistent Participant Attendance

Goals for Program Participants

Greater Personal Responsibility
Improved Academics Achievement
Greater Creativity and Well-Being

Understanding that improving quality is an on-going process that includes careful self-assessment, NC CAP hopes to offer a useful tool that can help programs chart their progress in each of these areas.

Download the Self-Assessment Tool

Parallel ways for programs to gauge whether they meet quality goals, include:

1. National AfterSchool Association Standards for Quality School-Age Care Accreditation Guideline

2. N.C. Division of Child Development Licensure: 4- or 5-Star Levels

3. School-Age Care Environment Rating Scale Assessment