San Diego County Shared Services Alliance Evaluation (Year 1)
In September 2023, the San Diego YMCA, in partnership with a group of local organizations that serve child care providers, was awarded the San Diego County Shared Services Alliance (SSA) contract. Luminary Evaluation and San Diego State University Center for Excellence in Early Development Conducted a Year 1 program evaluation. At baseline, child care providers needed assistance and were motivated to improve business practices. By the end of the first year, providers made considerable gains in these areas of need. The San Diego SSA team of organizational leaders, business coaches and cultural navigators were instrumental in ensuring all goals and objectives were met or exceeded.
wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network Evaluation
The Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) engaged Luminary to conduct an evaluation that explores the suggested impact that the Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network (WEESSN) has on its members. The resulting report found that members: 1) Demonstrate awareness and use of best practices that are tied to stronger, more resilient businesses; 2) Value their membership and demonstrate high levels of satisfaction with benefits they are receiving; and 3) Trust their business coaches and partner with them to gather and share information that has the potential to shape coaching sessions, articulate programmatic impact, and influence policy change. In 2024, Luminary conducted a second followup evaluation to assess growth and ongoing progress.
Mississippi Head Start Association: Leaping into Literacy Five Year Evaluation
In November 2019, the Mississippi Head Start Association launched the Leaping into Literacy project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Evidence collected through formative and summative evaluation processes found that the project achieved its goals of 1) improve literacy outcomes for children in Head Start classrooms, 2) enhance the talk environment for toddlers in Early Head Start classrooms using LENA Grow.
READY School Evaluation Report
Clarkston Development Foundation (CDF Action) is a not-for-profit organization that collaborates with residents and partners to strengthen a community's capacity to ensure healthy, safe, joyful, and culturally responsive early care and learning. In September 2022 CDF Action received a federal U.S. Department of Education Congressionally Funded Community Projects grant to enhance and expand its READY School initiative. The READY School is an asset-based community development initiative designed to ensure that all children who are 3 and 4 years old have access to quality, accessible, and free early learning experiences that help prepare them for a successful transition into a Georgia Pre-K program.
In 2023, Luminary Evaluation conducted an independent evaluation and found that the READY School model effectively supports families and children, many of whom are immigrants and refugees, by preparing children for formal educational settings and connecting parents to needed support.
Virginia child care stabilization and sustainability evaluation report
In early 2023, The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF) commissioned Luminary Evaluation to explore the provider experience before, during and after the pandemic. The Virginia Child Care Stabilization and Sustainability Evaluation Report, through analysis of one-on-one interviews and focus groups with ECCE providers across the Commonwealth, offers keen insights into steps providers are taking to stabilize their operations and provider-driven strategies and solutions to sustaining Virginia’s ECCE industry.
The State of Child Wellbeing in Collier County, Florida
The Naples Children Education Foundation (NCEF) commissioned Luminary to conduct a study of Collier County Florida to comprehsnsively describe the current conditions and needs of children in Collier County using the most up-to-date and relevant data.
This study was developed at the behest of NCEF Trustees and administrators, as part of their ongoing efforts to provide informed and impactful grant making in support of local organizations improving the lives of children. But is also intended to serve a broader audience as a resource for all philanthropic organizations, non- and for-profit service providers and community leaders interested in the state of child wellbeing in Collier County.
Westside Montessori School: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Evaluation Report
In the Fall of 2021, Westside Montessori School (WSMS) engaged Luminary to conduct an independent evaluation of the school’s DEIB programs and activities to assess their execution, engagement, and effectiveness.
The evaluation found that WSMS has made effective and intentional investments in DEIB resulting in experiences of inclusion and a sense of belonging. The report explores the following observations in depth:
WSMS authentically embeds DEIB into the in-school experience, which meaningfully impacts the perceptual development of early learners.
WSMS’s commitment to DEIB differentiates it as an institution and a leader in the educational landscape.
Deepening the home-school connection is an area of opportunity for the continued evolution of DEIB activities.