In 2007, Prime Time launched the Palm Beach County Afterschool Quality Improvement System (QIS) as a multilevel system to improve the quality of afterschool programs throughout Palm Beach County. Based on the Palm Beach County Quality Standards for Afterschool, QIS uses the Palm Beach County Program Quality Assessment (PBC-PQA) tool; one-on-one consultation and technical assistance; and specialized trainings to help programs effectively develop and deliver high-quality out-of-school time (OST) experiences for children, youth and their families. Prime Time’s quality advisors work on-site with OST providers to assess program needs and develop multi-year plans for improvement. They also provide recommendations for quality-improvement planning based on external assessments and provide in-house self-assessment trainings with coaching.
Administrative and program staff are provided with guidance to identify and implement opportunities to improve quality for children and youth and also to tap a young persons’ motivation to attend and engage in programs. Consistent participation in quality OST programs has shown to increase self-esteem and self-efficiency in children and youth as well as increase positive social behaviors in school. Participation in the QIS not only provides programs with a unique opportunity to elevate their program quality but it also offers key benefits
Interested in becoming a participant?
Step 1 - Meet Criteria:
- Established operating hours and policies/procedures in place
- Dedicated program space which supports a variety of activities for youth.
- A minimum of 20 youth attending the program on a daily basis
- Dedicated staff or volunteers who work directly with youth
- Current license in good standing from the Palm Beach County Health Department OR be deemed "license exempt"
Step 2 - Please click here to fill out the QIS Interest Form >>
Once your QIS Interest Form is received, you will receive an email from Prime Time's Quality Improvement team member, who will arrange a preliminary meeting to discuss the QIS enrollment process. Qualified programs which are accepted into the Palm Beach County Quality Improvement System are notified twice per year, in January and August.
What if my program does not yet qualify for or is not immediately accepted into QIS?
Prime Time offers a variety of informative online courses and one-on-one coaching on quality improvement for afterschool programs that are not yet part of the formal Quality Improvement System.
Please contact Luisa Vincent with any questions you may have. Contact information is located on the right.
Forms
Contact
Luisa Vincent
Community Partnerships Specialist
561-600-9538
lvincent@primetimepbc.org