Defining and Measuring Quality in Youth Programs and Classrooms New Directions for Youth Development, Number 121

Issue Editors' Notes 1
Nicole Yohalem, Robert C. Granger, Karen J. Pittman

Executive Summary 5

1. Using instructional logs to identify quality in educational settings 13
Brian Rowan, Robin Jacob, Richard Correnti
This chapter focuses on specific classroom processes and practices that influence student achievement and explores two common approaches to studying them: direct classroom observation and annual surveys of teachers.

2. Classroom processes and positive youth development: Conceptualizing, measuring, and improving the capacity of interactions between teachers and students 33
Robert C. Pianta, Bridget K. Hamre
The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) framework and observation tool, a theoretically driven and empirically supported system for conceptualizing, organizing, and measuring classroom interactions, is used as a basis to discuss improving teacher-student interactions.

3. Capturing the magic: Assessing the quality of youth mentoring relationships 47
Nancy L. Deutsch, Renée Spencer
This article discusses what it means, for research and practice, to consider mentoring relationships as settings embedded within the larger settings of mentoring programs.

4. Practitioner expertise: Creating quality within the daily tumble of events in youth settings 71
Reed W. Larson, Aimee N. Rickman, Colleen M. Gibbons, Kathrin C. Walker
This article argues that practitioner expertise—how youth workers respond to and shape the myriad events, situations, and episodes they face on a daily basis—is critical to understanding and measuring setting quality.

5. Assessing after-school settings 89
Jean Baldwin Grossman, Julie Goldsmith, Jessica Sheldon, Amy J. A. Arbreton
This article explores three features of after-school quality—youth engagement, well-conceived and delivered content, and a conducive learning environment—and opportunities and limitations associated with different approaches to measuring them.

6. Quality and accountability in the out-of-school-time sector 109
Charles Smith, Thomas J. Devaney, Tom Akiva, Samantha A. Sugar
This article defines point-of-service quality in out-of-school time, describes an observational assessment tool and associated supports designed to assess and improve practice, and explores how quality metrics can be used to drive innovative approaches to accountability.

7. The quest for quality: Recent developments and future directions for the out-of-school-time field 129
Nicole Yohalem, Robert C. Granger, Karen J. Pittman
Quality has become a priority for the out-of-school-time field. This article features several promising opportunities for progress that are emerging across research, policy, and practice.

Index 141

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