Guidance for State Leaders Developing Quality Rating and Improvement Systems for School-age Programs
May 2010

Many states are designing or expanding child care quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) to include school-age programs. QRIS, now operational statewide in 20 states, including the District of Columbia, provides a systemic approach to assess, improve and communicate the level of quality in various settings. 1 Currently, 16 of the existing statewide systems intentionally incorporate school-age program quality standards and indicators. 2

This brief provides an overview of key considerations for developing a QRIS for school-age programs, as well as descriptions of common ways that states have adapted quality rating systems to support school-age programs.

Key Considerations in Developing School-Age QRIS

In developing a new QRIS or adapting an existing system to include school-age programs, state leaders may begin with the following key questions:

  • Which school-age programs will be included? School-age children spend their out-of-school time in a range of settings, including center-based and family child care, as well as programs operated by schools and community-based organizations. Many states exempt a number of school-age programs from licensing regulations, particularly those that operate limited hours or take place in a public school. Since state regulation is typically the first tier of a QRIS, it may be necessary to consider alternative processes to allow some license-exempt school-age programs to participate. For example, states could require license-exempt programs that want to participate in the QRIS to register and submit needed information; or states may offer a “getting ready to be licensed” option as a first step to the participation of license-exempt school-age programs. For states engaged in or planning for licensing revisions, it may be helpful to consider how licensing regulations are aligned with QRIS requirements. 3
  • Which school-age stakeholders will inform QRIS development? Involving school-age providers and stakeholders in the planning process will help ensure that the unique characteristics of school-age care are reflected in the QRIS. State leaders often call upon the following groups to provide input on the development of a child care quality improvement system: 4
  • Focus groups of providers who serve school-age children in various program settings;
  • Parents of school-age children;
  • Statewide afterschool networks (currently supported by the C.S. Mott Foundation in 28 states 5);
  • State affiliates of the National AfterSchool Association (provider associations); and
  • Staff from the state Department of Education or other state agencies supporting school-age programs.
  • Will school-age standards be embedded or separate? Of states that currently have statewide QRIS, twelve states embed school-age indicators within child care standards and four have developed a separate “school-age track”. State leaders may consider which strategy is most appropriate, given the structure of their QRIS and the types of school-age programs that will be included. In some cases, it may make sense to embed specific school-age requirements for centers and family homes that serve mixed age groups, while developing a separate track for stand-alone before-and afterschool programs.
  • Does the QRIS build on and connect with other school-age quality improvement initiatives? A QRIS is intended to connect various quality improvement initiatives and state policies to create a comprehensive system of supports for program and practitioner quality improvement efforts. It is important that the standards and indicators developed for school-age programs link with and support these investments in program quality and workforce development, such as:
  • State or national accreditation for school-age programs. (Accredited programs can often automatically meet the higher quality tier.)
  • State-level school-age program quality standards, which have been developed in 14 states (three states are currently drafting program standards) to promote quality self-assessment and improvement;
  • Quality assessment tools, including the School-Age Care Environmental Rating Scale (SACERS) and the Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA); and
  • School-age youth core competencies and professional credentials.

An Approach to Developing Standards and Indicators For School-age Programs

In order to be truly inclusive of school-age programs, state leaders will need to develop indicators that recognize the unique characteristics of practitioners and programs serving school-age children. As a general approach to developing a QRIS that is intentional about including school-age programs, state leaders can consider the following when developing standards and indicators —

  • Language — QRIS that have been designed with early care and education programs in mind may not include language that specifically references school-age, or youth, programs and practitioners. How are school-age programs identified in the standards documents? Are recognized terms for the range of school-age programs consistently used throughout the standards and other guidance of the QRIS? Additionally, are terms relevant to school-age practitioners, such as educational qualifications used? For programs, are materials or curricula for school-age children specifically identified in standards?
  • Breadth — Typically, QRIS standards identify four or more categories of standards, such as curricula, administrative practices, and family involvement. Are indicators relevant to school-age programs present across multiple QRIS standards? Are specific school age appropriate indicators and benchmarks included in more than one or two standards? Is research specific to quality school-age programs utilized in crafting standards and indicators?
  • Depth — QRIS generally include two or more levels within the standards beyond licensing, with incremental progressions to the highest level of quality as defined by the state. Therefore, the QRIS standards and indicators need to provide a meaningful pathway to improving quality in school-age programs. Are school-age programs represented in multiple tiers or levels in the QRIS? Are measures of program quality applicable and appropriate for school-age programs? Are financial incentives or other benefits, appropriate to school-age practitioners, tied to quality improvements?

1 National Child Care and Information Center (NCCIC).QRIS Definition and Statewide Systems. NCCIC,
2 These states are: Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Vermont. Two additional states (Rhode Island and Missouri) include school-age indicators in pilot systems (not yet operational statewide). Back
3 For more information, see: Afterschool Investments. Using a State Child Care Quality Rating System to Promote Quality in Afterschool Programs, September 2007.Back
4 Ibid Back
5 For more information, see: