Author: School's Out Washington

A powerful intersection between expanded learning, housing, and healthcare 

By Fahren Johnson

Last week was National Summer Learning week and I had a great time visiting sites in the Pierce County community where some very cool and innovative summer learning programs are happening right now. I am a firm believer that the intersecting systems that support youth outside of the traditional school day (and during the summer months) are critical to fostering passion and purpose on a young person’s journey to becoming who they are destined to be. This ecosystem of out-of-school time spaces is uniquely positioned to address things that schools miss or simply cannot take on.   Here’s a quick … [ ]

Mastery Based Learning Collaborative Opportunity for Washington Schools

The Mastery Based Learning Collaborative is a community of schools across Washington State that choose to focus on mastery-based learning (also called competency-based) and culturally responsive-sustaining practices, with educational equity as their guiding value. In its first year, SOWA provided advice, training, site visits, and resources to support schools in the Collaborative to foster relationships and partnerships with community-based organizations, youth and families as they work to implement mastery-based learning (MBL) in a culturally responsive-sustaining manner. The State Board of Education is now preparing to launch the second cohort of the Mastery-based Learning Collaborative (MBLC)! Participating schools receive funding and … [ ]

Apply to be a workshop presenter at Bridge Conference 2023

Our 2023 Bridge Conference workshop request for proposals process is now open! We are seeking proposals that offer a high-quality and compelling workshops, conference alignment and relevance, and racial equity alignment.  Our goal is to bring together presenters and participants of different identities, perspectives, and backgrounds from the expanded learning opportunities field. We welcome and encourage people who speak multiple languages to participate.  This is an opportunity to reflect on your strengths and expertise and present ideas to the youth development field. We are seeking presenters to lead engaging presentations and/or interactive workshops. We welcome and encourage people who speak multiple languages to participate.  … [ ]

Why BSK and the Quality Improvement Pathways Model just makes sense

By School's Out Washington

School’s Out Washington (SOWA) works hard as an intermediary organization to support youth development both at the institutional and local level. A large part of our work is focused in supporting youth-serving organizations across Washington state in moving through cycles of continuous program quality improvement, using the Forum for Youth Investment’s Youth Program Quality Intervention (YPQI) model. In this research-backed model, programs move through a high-touch experience of assessing their programs, setting goals, and then making intentional improvements before starting the cycle again with another assessment, which we refer to as the Assess-Plan-Improve (API) cycle.    Knowing that the needs … [ ]

Check out what’s new on Elevate Washington

By Gloria Jordan

Last year, SOWA worked to enhance the Elevate Washington data platform. If you’re not already familiar, Elevate is SOWA’s youth program data system and public directory. Providers can create and manage information profiles that are searchable via the program directory. The directory is a free, statewide resource that features camps, classes, and support programs for children and young people (ages 5 to 24). Providers who join also gain early access to information about funding opportunities and other resources for expanded learning professionals from SOWA and its partners—including funding. So what’s new? A more user friendly search tool and program detail … [ ]

Best Starts for Kids’ deep dive into training series

By School's Out Washington

Best Starts for Kids (BSK) grantees had the opportunity to attend four different Youth Work Methods “Deep Dive” trainings over the past few months. The Youth Work Methods trainings are designed to give direct service staff practical skills that can be immediately implemented into programming and are directly connected to practices addressed in the Program Quality Assessment. The BSK team took the Methods training a step further by giving folks extra time to work through the content and materials and ask more questions in a more “deep dive” approach.   The four trainings offered during the series were specifically chosen to … [ ]