POST does not currently rate or recommend particular out-of-school time programs. However, there are a variety of ways to identify quality programs. High quality programs all have some basic, important characteristics related to human interaction, activities, and health and safety. POST developed Core Standards adopted from the NAA Core Standards. Click here to access POST Core Standards.

The following checklist may be used to help evaluate out-of-school time programs and activities. For a more comprehensive list of standards, please see "Standards at a Glance" from the National AfterSchool Association website (NAA).

Afterschool Matters, a national journal by NIOST, released a report, "How is the Afterschool Field Defining Program Quality?" To access this article, click here.

Harvard Family Research Project put out a report in February 2008 entitled, "After School Programs in the 21st Century: Their Potential and What it Takes to Achieve It." Click here to view this article.

Program staff should:

• Make children and youth feel welcome and comfortable
• Treat all children and youth with respect, acceptance and appreciation
• Recognize and value individual differences and strengths
• Offer children and youth choices and opportunities for decision-making
• Provide careful supervision at all times
• Establish clear, consistent and age-appropriate limits
• Use positive techniques to guide behavior
• Have routines that provide stability without being rigid
• Encourage positive relationships and respect among children and youth
• Vary teaching approaches used in order to help each child and youth learn
• Respect each family's cultural values and language
• Encourage family involvement and input
• Be trained and experienced in working with school-age children
• Communicate effectively with other program staff to meet the needs of children and youth
• Be good role models

Program activities should:

• Promote the social, emotional and intellectual development of all participating children and youth
• Allow children and youth opportunities for individual expression
• Be suited to the age ranges of children and youth in the program
• Be appropriate for the styles, abilities and interests of the individual participants
• Reflect careful planning and preparation
• Be consistent with the overall program mission

Program sites should:

• Be safe, clean and free of potential hazards
• Be comfortable, inviting and large enough for all program activities
• Have systems in place to protect children from harm
• Have staff/child ratios that permit staff to meet the needs of all participating children and youth
• Provide healthy snacks, appropriate for the ages and sizes of the children and youth
• Have adequate space for both quiet and active activities
• Have adequate materials to support program activities
• Provide sufficient space and materials for children and youth to explore their own interests
• Provide opportunities to meet children's needs for physical activity
• Provide opportunities to meet children's needs for privacy