Researcher and Practitioner Dialogue

Published in the Journal of Expanded Learning Opportunities, Vol. 1, Issue 3, Spring 2016

The expanded learning field continues to bring multiple stakeholders together to advance program quality and research. This article from the third issue of the Journal of Expanded Learning Opportunities features a dialogue on the topic of program quality in expanded learning programs between Michael Funk, afterschool division director for the California Department of Education, and Carol McElvain, managing technical assistance consultant at AIR.

McElvain and Funk share their reflections on each other’s perspectives, revealing a common vision to move the work of this field forward. The dialogue includes suggestions for practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the community to ensure that programs run at a high level of quality.