Program Quality

The Cohort 19 21^st CCLC programs utilize the David P. Weikart Center’s Social and Emotional Learning Program Quality Assessment (SEL PQA) process to support program quality and improvement (known as Youth Program Quality Improvement, or YPQI). This includes internal and external assessments, which Site Coordinators use to inform program quality improvement goals. The program’s measurable objective for program quality and the SEL PQA was as follows:

• Measurable improvement in relevant sections of the SEL PQA each year, at each site; or an average rating over 4.0.

During the first year of the grant, 2023-24, the YPQI process includes self-observations and external observations with the SEL-PQA tool in the current year. Site Coordinators and site staff conducted self-observations, and the evaluator conducted external observations in January-February 2024. These observations provided a basis for sites’ improvement goals.

The results below reflect the scores from external assessments. The program met the objective of an average rating of 4.0 or greater in Safe Space and Supportive Environment, and not in Interactive Environment and Engaging Environment. (See Table 4)

Table 4. SEL PQA External Assessment Results, 2023-24