Step 3. Plan for Implementation

Planning for implementation requires dedicated time and capacity.

• Build a logic model for your approach
• Use your favorite logic model design or use REL Pacific's Logic Model tool or the template provided here (See Figure 2).
• Ensure that your inputs include student attendance and that you have a way to track which students receive which programming and supports.

• Develop detailed implementation plans, timelines, and workplans
• If you are planning an expanded learning program, start with the 21st Century Community Learning Center's New Director's Toolkit
• If you are planning a summer program, consider using resources like the Summer Learning Toolkit which contains examples, templates and more to plan your program. You can also see how the State of Texas has adapted the toolkit to fit their needs.
• If you haven't already, reach out to your 21st Century Community Learning Centers State Education Contacts or your 50 State Afterschool Network lead and ask them for planning tools or resources they have used previously.
• Ensure sufficient time for staff recruitment and training
• Build a plan or review the plan that your staff recruitment and training technical assistance provider give you.
• Connect with your AmeriCorps State Service Commission to determine opportunities to utilize Corps members as staff members to scale rapidly
• Secure a technical assistance contract for staff training and professional development. If not, use the Y4Y resources.
• If feasible, recruit high school students as staff members to provide them with summer jobs and strong PD.
• Ensure sufficient time for student recruitment and family engagement
  • Do you have partnerships with community-based organizations, family and community engagement experts or others?
• Develop plans for continuous improvement, data collection, and evaluation
• Read and use the templates provided in the continuous improvement toolkit that IES and REL Northeast and Island published for schools and districts to use continuous improvement in education.
• Establish a plan for continuous improvement and if applicable rigorous evaluation of your program. A great place to start is the "Putting Data to Work for Young People" by RAND Corporation, a step by step plan for collecting, analyzing and managing data to improve decision making or Harvard Family Research Project's Afterschool Evaluation 101 report.
• If you are running a STEM program, A Program Director's Guide to Evaluating STEM Education Programs, review an National Science Foundation (NSF) supported TA tool.

Additional Resources from the U.S. Department of Education

• You For Youth // Afterschool Training Toolkit (ed.gov)

Other Additional Resources (non-U.S. Department of Education)

• Afterschool Alliance
• Afterschool Training Toolkit: The National Center for Quality Afterschool (sedl.org)
• Professional Development | The Expanded Learning and Afterschool Project (expandinglearning.org)
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide
• National AfterSchool Association's Resources