Through our Meet the Expert feature, get to know some of AIR’s key staff, learning what drives and keeps them going, the work they find most meaningful, and even a little bit about how they spend their personal time.
Quality standards are a foundational aspect of an afterschool system, where the goal is to ensure that all youth have access to high-quality programs. The resources on this page are intended to support networks that are developing, implementing, and refining statewide quality standards.
As part of our commitment to addressing the harmful effects of inequality, the AIR Equity Initiative supports and fosters partnerships with those who are directly affected by the inequities we seek to address and those who influence and drive decision-making. Our active and upcoming funding opportunities are here for your ...
At this stage in the quality standards development process, you have brought together a collaborative group of stakeholders to research and design a set of afterschool quality standards, and you have successfully navigated the approval process in your state. You are now ready to share the standards with the field ...
Ensuring strong alignment between quality standards and afterschool programs requires creative thinking, planning, and collaboration. Afterschool programs that align professional development with quality standards can support staff learning and sustain continuous improvement by reinforcing professional standards and practices. ...
In 2021, AIR launched the AIR Equity Initiative, a five-year, $100M+ investment in behavioral and social science research and technical assistance to address the underlying causes of systemic inequities and to increase opportunities for people and communities.
Working with states and districts, we apply evidence-based strategies to designing and developing policies and practices in order to create education systems centered on high-quality standards and assessments for all students. AIR’s Standards and Assessment ecosystem provides a cohesive and comprehensive structure to guide the development of standards-based systems. ...
Core competencies are the capabilities that are critical for afterschool staff to deliver high quality programs. These competencies are intended to set a foundation for professional development, provide opportunities for career advancement, and inform program quality and continuous improvement.
Afterschool staff working with youth are essential partners in any program’s efforts to implement quality programming. Ultimately, strong relationships are key to whether youth feel safe and can authentically engage with peers and adults. Building staff members’ capacity to strengthen relationships and align program offerings to quality standards will help ...
Bridges to Equity: A Promising Beginning is the first annual report of the AIR Equity Initiative and describes some of the progress that has been made towards improving the lives of individuals and communities that have been segregated by race or place.