Magnolia Consulting evaluators have over a century of combined evaluation and research experience representing a broad range of fields, including PreK-20 education, human services, and social science. We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service.
We plan collaboratively with our clients. We respond quickly and effectively to your questions and needs and maintain continual communication throughout projects. We value your feedback, and we cultivate long-term client relationships. Finally, we deliver useful and timely reporting for continuous program improvement.
The following are examples of core areas of our work, although our interests and portfolio are continuously expanding.
We have worked with a variety of clients in the areas of data use and collaborative inquiry. Examples of projects include:
Magnolia Consulting is skilled at evaluating a variety of informal learning contexts. For example, we have conducted informal learning studies on behalf of NASA, various museums, and other clients. Examples include:
Magnolia Consulting evaluators have conducted more than 25 literacy studies, including evaluations of print and digital programs, basal and supplemental programs,and programs aligned to Common Core State Standards. Additionally, we have studied out-of-school time interventions and professional development programs seeking to improve literacy outcomes.
A few examples include:
Magnolia Consulting has extensive experience in examining social and behavioral outcomes. Our work in this area ranges from supporting research on character education and anti-bullying programs to evaluations of programs that provide positive coping strategies and tools through music mosaics and mindfulness. Examples include:
Magnolia Consulting has extensive experience studying programs designed to support underserved populations including English learners, students with disabilities, and Native American populations. Examples of our work supporting underserved populations include:
Our work in the area of college and career readiness has ranged from Department of Labor TAACCCT grant evaluations to studies of nonprofit programs designed to foster college and career readiness, as well as professional development programs. Below are some sample projects in this area:
Magnolia Consulting evaluators have deep expertise in early childhood education. In addition to addressing early academic proficiency—such as emerging literacy and math skills—our work has also focused on the importance of socioemotional development in early childhood. Examples of our work in early childhood education include:
Magnolia Consulting has broad experience in STEM research and evaluation. In addition to evaluating various NASA, out-of-school time, and professional development programs, we have conducted numerous STEM curriculum efficacy studies. The following are some examples:
Magnolia staff has expertise in studies of child sexual abuse prevention including school employee sexual misconduct, school-based prevention programs, and sexual violence programs. Examples of our work in this area include:
The descriptions below represent just a sample of our methodical skills and experience. Like our content areas, our methodological interests and capacities continue to grow.
The Magnolia team has conducted more than 35 randomized control trials and quasi-experimental studies. We specialize in advanced quantitative research and evaluation designs and analyses, including cluster-randomized and blocked designs, quasi-experimental designs with propensity-score matching, regression discontinuity designs, and other rigorous study designs. Additionally, we are proficient in conducting power analyses and implementing a variety of analytic techniques including multilevel modeling, cross-classified modeling with random effects, multiple regression, and calculation of standardized effect sizes (including Cohen’s d, Hedge’s g, Glass’s delta, and odds ratios). Examples include:
Magnolia Consulting researchers and evaluators have widespread experience in developing and selecting valid and reliable instruments that are aligned to clients’ programs and products. We have developed numerous surveys, focus groups, and interviews designed to gauge an array of constructs (including knowledge, skills, interest, motivation, self-efficacy, attitudes, perceptions, and experiences) in children, teens, and adults. We have used all major standardized assessments. Two examples of specific projects that highlight our skills in instrument development include:
The Magnolia Consulting team draws on best practices to design qualitative studies and analyzing qualitative data. We’ve found that techniques such as systematic coding and analytic induction using Atlas.ti provide credible, trustworthy, and relevant qualitative findings. Examples of studies highlighting our qualitative experience include:
We build stakeholder capacity to use and be consumers of research and evaluation. We help programs develop logic models and evaluation plans that they can implement effectively on their own.
We partner with teachers, school and district administrators, and technical assistance providers to develop and implement a responsive, coherent, and evidence-based body of work to build educator capacity in using a collaborative inquiry approach to data-informed decision making for improved student-learning outcomes.
We have engaged groups of 40-60 in developing logic models that align with programs’ theories of change.
We provide training to school and district staff, and out-of-school program staff, on how to develop and implement an evaluation plan for a districtwide initiative. Capacity building includes how to develop evaluation questions that align with logic model outcomes, select appropriate data collection methods, determine data sources and sample sizes, develop and administer surveys, interviews, and focus groups, synthesize data, and communicate findings to various stakeholder audiences.
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