Request for Qualifications:
Program Quality Assessment – King County Youth Program External Assessor
The mission of School’s Out Washington (SOWA) is to provide services and guidance for organizations to ensure all young people have safe places to learn and grow when not in school. School’s Out is dedicated to building community systems to support quality afterschool and youth development programs for Washington’s 5- to 18-year-olds through training, advocacy, and leadership.
School’s Out Washington is currently seeking professionals to serve as contracted Program Quality Assessment (PQA) External Assessors utilizing the Social Emotional Learning PQA. These External Assessors visit youth programs and observe their practices, then score the Program Quality Assessment rubric. Each External Assessor will be contracted as Independent Contractors for School’s Out Washington.
External Assessors will gain valuable professional development opportunities and will be trained to conduct on-site observations using the Social Emotional Learning Program Quality Assessment (SEL PQA) tool in a variety of afterschool expanded learning opportunity programs in Washington State. As part of the onboarding process, new assessors will receive multiple trainings that focus on youth programming and on building relationships between young people and program providers.
The standard External Assessment rate is $230.00 per assessment. There is a probationary payment rate until one “shadow assessment” training and 3 assessments are completed to help SOWA cover the costs of trainings, during which the rate is $165.00 per assessment. After assessors complete their 3rd assessment, the standard External Assessment rate of $230.00 applies. Assessors also receive a $400.00 training stipend after completing the training requirements and becoming a certified assessor.
Most assessments will take place in King County and Pierce County from February 2026 through May 2026 with future work available in October through December. During the spring season taking place February-May, assessors are expected to complete at least 3 assessments but can sign up for more if they wish. Assessments are available each spring and fall and assessors are welcome to contract for multiple years.
External Assessor Requirements and Expectations:
External Assessors will need to complete a series of virtual training activities and pass a reliability test prior to being assigned to assessments.
Attend project specific External Assessor Trainings prior to being assigned to do assessments:
- SEL PQA Basics: January 6, 2026. This full-day, virtual workshop prepares participants to conduct a program self-assessment and is the first step to becoming a reliable external assessor. (This requirement may be waived if Assessor has attended Basics within the past 24 months).
- SEL PQA External Assessor Reliability Training: January 7 and 8, 2026. This virtual training includes two full days of instruction and prepares assessors for the observation of youth programs using the Program Quality Assessment Tool.
- Complete all required training and pass reliability test to become an endorsed, reliable assessor. The reliability test from the SEL PQA External Assessor Reliability Training is due by the end of day on January 16, 2026.
- Attend one External Assessor Onboarding Webinar. New assessors are required to attend one 1.5 hour onboarding webinar scheduled through SOWA by February 1, 2026.
- Submit a criminal background check and obtain a UBI # from the State of Washington
- Complete one shadow assessment. New assessors are required to join an experienced assessor in the field for one full observation. This shadow assessment must be completed before any independent assessments take place. (assessment opportunities vary Monday through Friday, usually between 1pm and 6pm).
- Travel to youth program locations to complete assessment observations. Most observations take place Monday through Friday between 1pm and 6pm. Occasional morning and weekend observations are also available.
- Complete SEL PQA-Form A (1-3 hours of in-person observation, 1.5-2.5 hours of scoring and entering data in the online Scores Reporter).
- Email SEL PQA-back to School’s Out Washington via PDF and/or submit anecdotal evidence online as required into the online Scores Reporter.
Qualifications:
Preferred:
- Familiarity and/or previous training with youth program quality assessments
- Spoken and written English fluency.
- Access to reliable transportation.
Required:
- Spoken and written fluency in multiple languages desired
- Demonstrated familiarity with educational, enrichment and/or afterschool programming for youth.
Submission Procedure:
All interested persons should email a resume and cover letter detailing interest and qualifications to Jarrod Hamerly at jhamerly@schoolsoutwashington.org no later than December 29, 2025. Applications received after this date may still be considered based on capacity, or for the fall season. Further information may be obtained by calling Jarrod Hamerly at 206.457.3013.