[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-590474-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":80,"doc-detail-590474-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":73,"head_meta":75,"extra_data":77,"updated_unix":79},105,"en","using-professional-development-to-enhance-staff-retention-the-importance-of-staff-retention","Using Professional Development to Enhance Staff Retention - The Importance of Staff Retention","","Professional development is examined as a key lever for sustaining high-quality afterschool programs by improving staff retention in environments marked by elevated turnover. Drawing on two studies commissioned and designed to evaluate practices in 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the research synthesizes findings on how training resources, role-specific preparation, and program support structures can strengthen staff motivation and engagement. The analysis links staff stability to better student academic development and broader risk-reduction outcomes.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/using-professional-development-to-enhance-staff-retention-the-importance-of-staff-retention/590474/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/using-professional-development-to-enhance-staff-retention-the-importance-of-staff-retention/590474.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Pentious","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":22},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"Why is staff retention a major concern in afterschool programs?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"Afterschool settings experience high staff turnover, which makes retention strategies essential for program quality and continuity.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"How were the two studies used in the research?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"The paper derives its data and findings from two studies: the NAP Study and the Extension Study, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches to capture program and staff-related perspectives.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"What is the role of professional development in improving outcomes?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"Professional development helps create a climate that supports staff motivation and retention, which in turn contributes to beneficial student academic development and reduced engagement in risky behaviors.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},590474,1792684776,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,87,91,95,100,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":84,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":88,"show_sort_weight":89,"slug":90},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":92,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":131},{"doc_id":78,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":22,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":111,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":117},1374404730887,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","using professional development to enhance staff retention  \nby Denise Huang and Jamie Cho  \nIt was my intention to work here for the summer and then leave and go be a sports agent somewhere. But after three months of enjoying what I was doing and realizing there was really a connection here working with kids that I decided to stay on, change my major from communications to child development and began my career from school age   I worked really hard, got my units, became the child care director here  I truly believe that I was really born to be in this field.  \nWith these words, Carol summarized a decision that led to 15 years of service at a community-based afterschool program. As a college student, she never anticipated a career in education, yet, with one summer experience forced on her by her mother, she felt connected and that she was “born to be in this field.” Fueled by her enthusiasm, she moved up the ranks from childcare provider to director and eventually to executive director.  \nWith her passion for education and devotion to the program, Carol is the ideal afterschool employee. However, her 15-year tenure makes her an exception in the afterschool arena, which is plagued by high staff turnover (Spielberger, 2001) . This article discusses strategies for retention, with particular attention to the role of professional development in retaining staff.  \nThe data and research findings for this paper were derived from two studies. The first was commissioned  \nDENiSE HuANG, Ph. D., is a project director and senior researcher at the National Center for the Research of Educational Standards and Student Testing (CRESST) at UCLA. The primary focus of her work has been evaluation of afterschool programs and investigating the effect of motivation, attribution, and effort towards academic achievement. Her current responsibilities at CRESST include leading a research team in conducting studies on different components of afterschool programs and serving as the co-principal investigator for the statewide evaluation of afterschool programs from kindergarten through high school, a four-year project funded by the California Department of Education.  \nJAMiE CHo, Ph. D., is an educational consultant working with doctoral students who are completing their doctoral dissertations. Her areas of specialization focus on home and school connections, family socialization, and early childhood education.  \nto the National Afterschool Partnership (NAP)1 by the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate effective practices at the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLCs) . The purpose of this study was to develop resources and professional development tools related to the establishment and sustainability of afterschool programs nationwide. Using rigorous methods, researchers identified 53 high-functioning programs representative of eight geographic regions, including rural, urban, community-based, and school district related programs.  \nThe NAP Study used a mixed-method strategy of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Qualitative methodology was selected for the Extension Study since such methods are most effective in revealing staff and parent perspectives. Various interview protocols were developed for project directors, site coordinators, site instructors, and parents to specifically address questions about staff qualifications, hiring and retention, relationships, and professional development.  \nExemplary practices in organization, structure, and espe- The Importance of Staff Retention  \ncially in content delivery were examined.2 Research has indicated that participation in afterschool pro  \nThe second study, the Extension Study,3 was set up to grams is beneficial to students’ academic development and further evaluate how effective programs retain high- social adjustment (American Youth Policy Forum, 2003; quality staff members. Four of the 53 programs in the NAP Posner & Vandell, 1999) . Participation likewise protects Study were ","cbCaiiw5xIaUS9wU","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiiw5xIaUS9wU","pdf",223079,"English","# Introduction\n# Importance of Staff Retention\n# Research Methods","[{\"question\":\"Why is staff retention a major concern in afterschool programs?\",\"answer\":\"Afterschool settings experience high staff turnover, which makes retention strategies essential for program quality and continuity.\"},{\"question\":\"How were the two studies used in the research?\",\"answer\":\"The paper derives its data and findings from two studies: the NAP Study and the Extension Study, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches to capture program and staff-related perspectives.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the role of professional development in improving outcomes?\",\"answer\":\"Professional development helps create a climate that supports staff motivation and retention, which in turn contributes to beneficial student academic development and reduced engagement in risky behaviors.\"}]","Using Professional Development to Enhance Staff Retention - The Importance of Staff Retention | PDF",1792069709]