The California After School Technical Assistance (CASTA) is a statewide technical assistance (TA) project, leveraged to provide strategic support to After School Education and Safety (ASES) and 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) programs in California. CASTA, a project of the Cooperative Research and Extension Services in Schools (CRESS) at the University of California at Davis, will partner with key after school stakeholders across the state. CASTA aims to build the capacity of technical assistance (TA) providers to better support the diverse needs of after school programs across the state. CASTA’s model is comprised of three key components: Technical Assistance Providers Partnering for Excellence, a map of current TA projects, and a catalog of TA Providers.

1. TAPPE (Technical Assistance Providers Partnering for Excellence)
TAPPE is a comprehensive professional development system that strengthens and builds the capacity of the TA community. The TAPPE component creates the capacity-building opportunity to share information, augment quality levels, train and mentor each other, and identify real-time gaps (in provision) by convening a functional working community of high quality TA Providers across specialties and geographic regions. TAPPE in-person gatherings and on-going communication systems are the cornerstone of CASTA and can function as a real venue for data collection, information & skills sharing, mapping, cross-training, and investment-advising.

2. Map of Topics, Needs, Projects
CASTA creates a comprehensive, accurate, and easy-to-use map that is intentionally open to continuous revision. This map could begin by charting out the major after school TA topic areas and sub-topics as defined by the needs in the field. To ensure inclusion, accuracy, and comprehensiveness, the map would be continually updated with information from a variety of input sources (e.g., CDE tools, TA Providers, Regional Leads, frontline field staff).

Additionally, CASTA will populate the map with the current real-time projects in each topic and/or subtopic. In other words, the map will perform a thorough environmental scan to organize and show the actual work being conducted in each area of need. These projects will be cataloged in the map to include identifying variables such as type of delivery, geographic coverage, etc… Thus, the value of the map is heightened exponentially – it is no longer simply a map of major TA topics (in theory), but a “live map” of actual TA efforts and who these efforts are reaching.

3. Catalog of Providers
Because the TAPPE Network must function as a nimble and quickly responsive community, the membership will begin by targeting the fifty (50) most active TA Providers. However, the world of TA Providers doing actual relevant work (based both in-state and national) is much larger. Thus, CASTA also endeavors to create a searchable online database of available providers (termed here as the “Catalog”). Each provider will be described by a variety of identifying characteristics that are important for end-users to know. For example:

• Specialty: What topics and subtopics does the provider cover?
• Geographic Coverage: What areas can the provider reach (e.g., Northern California, statewide, rural communities)?
• Mode of Delivery: How does the provider deliver its services (e.g., streaming video training, in-person coaching, publication)?

Above all, the Catalog should be user-friendly, allowing end-users to pinpoint their search through a variety of paths, including syllogistically (i.e., clicking through topic, sub-topic, list of available projects) or by search terms (e.g., Google/Yahoo! bar). In the future, the Catalog may provide additional functionalities to help end-users review and rate their TA experiences.

Interplay of Tappe, Map, Catalog
CASTA’s components work in tandem with one another, feeding information back & forth to increase each piece’s value (see the arrows in the diagram). For example, the initial in-person TAPPE convening will include sharing of information among the TA Providers regarding major topic areas & specialties, currently-funded projects & work, and identifying other quality providers in the field (i.e., not at TAPPE). From this baseline data collection, CASTA can design and populate the prototype MAP and CATALOG.

Casta Synergy Cycle – Basic Model

Notably though, the MAP and CATALOG will also collect other data. For example, the MAP may be informed by inputs such as CDE instruments (e.g., Needs Assessment Surveys, Evaluations, Self Assessment Needs), by Regional Leads (e.g., collecting plans and local TA gaps), and by philanthropy (e.g., collecting the most current docket of after school TA projects from various foundations). With these data, the MAP can help populate the CATALOG of providers (e.g., with new names from the projects). Likewise, new providers added to the CATALOG may reveal new projects to populate the MAP. In essence, the components continually collect data and information that can augment the others (thus, the back & forth arrows).

Altogether, CASTA brings these components together to increase the capacity, efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of the TA field – thereby building a “quality” TA system to support the building of quality after school programs. The results of CASTA’s synergetic pieces (TAPPE, MAP, CATALOG) will include:

• Defined “quality standards” for after school TA and training.
• System to augment and enhance TA provider skills (e.g., training trainer modules, mentoring pairs).
• Convenings of TAPPE providers to increase collaboration and sharing of best practices.
• Strengthened local TA systems via mentoring and strategic planning.
• Community of high-quality TA providers across specialties, geography, delivery mode.
• Map of major TA topics and critical TA subtopics and the corresponding real-time efforts & projects in these areas (or lack thereof).
• Map of real-time project and efforts in topics & subtopics.
• Comprehensive, user-friendly, and searchable catalog of TA providers, categorized by variables & identifiers that are important to end-users (e.g., Specialties, Geographic Coverage, Delivery Mode).

For more information, contact:
Rocio Abundis-Rodriguez, Executive Director
P.O. Box 311, San Martin, CA. 95046
408-722-1263
Rocio.abundisrodriguez@gmail.com