As out-of-school programs--and the expectations for them--grow, the field is struggling to identify the kind of training staff members need to meet those expectations. A variety of efforts have sprung up across the country to define and improve the quality of after-school staff, some of which bear resemblance to the quest to improve the effectiveness of classroom teachers. But given that many out-of-school programs face limited funding and their staffs tend to be young, part-time workers who rarely commit to the job for long, questions remain over how to provide professional development in a cost-effective way. While emerging research points to positive impacts after-school programs have on students' academic performance, many in the out-of-school field believe programs should remain distinct from the classroom environment. For some, those concerns, on top of staffing challenges, mean members of the after-school community need to be seen by others and, importantly, by themselves, as professionals who require defined core competencies. Though some of those competencies overlap with those expected of classroom teachers, others are unique to after-school. Organizations like the National Afterschool Association and School's Out Washington have published core-competency guides to help programs improve staff development, whereas others have seen a credentialing process, offered through higher education institutions, as a solution. Prime Time Palm Beach, a nonprofit organization in Florida that supports initiatives aimed at improving the quality of local after-school programs, has been a part of endeavors to develop credentialing pathways for after-school workers. The group produced coursework adopted by Palm Beach State College that students can take to earn a certificate in youth development, an associate degree in human services, or even, down the road, a bachelor's degree in supervision and management. Noncredit coursework is also available.