Measuring Quality: Assessment Tools to Evaluate Your Social-Emotional Learning Practices

This guide is designed to help school districts and their partner organizations identify tools to assess the quality of their practices in relation to social-emotional learning (SEL). We’ve reviewed ten commonly available program quality assessment tools, aligned with the five quality standards identified by the Expanded Learning 360º/365 initiative as critical practice areas for SEL. The practice areas are: safe and supportive environment; active and engaged learning; skill building; youth voice and leadership; and diversity, access, and equity.

Featured Assessment Tools:

Self-Assessment Tools:

• California After School Program Quality Self-Assessment Tool (CAN-QSA; California Afterschool Network)

• California High School Program Quality Self-Assessment Rubric (CAN-QSAR; California Afterschool Network)

• Exemplary Practices in Afterschool Program Development: Rubrics for Tracking Internal Progress (Center for Collaborative Solutions and the Community Network for Youth Development)

• National AfterSchool Association Core Knowledge and Competencies Self-Assessment Tool (National AfterSchool Association)

• New York Program Quality Self-Assessment Tool (NYSAN-QSA; New York State Afterschool Network)

• Self-Assessing Social and Emotional Instruction and Competencies (Center on Great Teachers and Leaders at American Institutes of Research)

• SEL Strengths Builder (David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality at the Forum for Youth Investment)

Observation Tools:

• Assessment of Program Practices Tool (APT; National Institute on Out-of-School Time)

• Program Quality Assessment (PQA; David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality at the Forum for Youth Investment)

• Quick CASP (National Summer Learning Association and ASAPconnect)