MOST Quality Standards

Beginning in the fall of 2019, MASP and MDE convened a stakeholder committee consisting of individuals from state, regional, and local agencies to review the Michigan Out-of-School Time (MOST) Standards of Quality. Standards from 21 states/organizations were reviewed and compared against the 2013 standards by the committee. The work of the committee was paused in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Work on the MOST Standards of Quality review resumed in spring 2021, and the committee finished drafting its recommendations in April 2021. Recommendations not only reorganized content for clarity but also includes additions in the areas of health, safety, and cultural competency to stay current with the field and research.

The updated MOST Standards of Quality are based on research and may be used as a framework for the design and implementation of high-quality, comprehensive programs that meet the specific and different needs of children during non-school hours.

Quality standards have been established for a set of critical components which indicate program quality, including:

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  • Health, Safety

  • Human Relationships

  • Program Staffing

  • Indoor and Outdoor Environments

  • Program Activities

  • Administration

  • Single-Purpose Programs

The Michigan After-School Partnership has endorsed the Michigan Out-of-School Time Standards of Quality.

A Self-Assessment Checklist was developed as a companion to the Michigan Out-of-School Time Standards of Quality. The checklist can be used as a guide to developing and evaluating out-of-school time programs for children in kindergarten through eighth grade. While not targeted for programs serving high school students, many of these standards may be applicable to these programs as well.

This Self-Assessment Checklist is recommended, along with other research-based assessment tools for program monitoring and self-assessment [i.e., Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA), Afterschool Program Assessment System (APAS), Quality Assurance System (QAS)].