Quality First Academy Evaluation 2023-2024

The challenge

This evaluation project focuses on the Quality First Academy, which is an initiative of the Quality First Arizona program that is operated by Southwest Human Development. The Academy provides professional development to interdisciplinary personnel who are delivering services and supports to early care and education programs throughout Arizona. The Academy offers professional learning communities and opportunities for these providers to learn from each other and to work in collaboration with staff at early care and education programs while also strengthening program connections with resources. The objective is to ensure that these personnel are able to work effectively as an interdisciplinary team. 

The approach

Quality First Academy undergoes periodic, sustained evaluations as part of the organization’s dedication to quality practice and personnel. Quality First Academy Evaluation 2023-2024 is a renewal grant that continues the project’s ongoing evaluation through a combination of approaches that include surveys, analysis of meetings and the co-creation of a collaboration rubric. 

Southwest Human Development contracts with Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College to design, conduct and interpret the evaluations. The evaluation project is led by principal investigator Jeanne Wilcox, a MLFTC professor in early childhood education and Tiffany King, a senior research analyst at MLFTC, serves as co-principal investigator.