Evolved an Early Learning Program to Create Multicultural Math Powered Communities

BACKGROUND/OPPORTUNITY

Zeno hired data2insight to inform key strategic decisions about their math education program and community-based organizational development. 

Founded in 2003 as Explorations in Math, Zeno was created by a group of parents and a teacher at Wilder Elementary School in Woodinville, Washington, who observed the impact that a positive math culture had on a student’s success. In 2015, Zeno entered Seattle’s early learning community and made early strides based on a few key partnerships with area preschools.

In 2013, data2insight began a partnership with Zeno executive directors Tammie Schacher and Julie Marl, program staff, and the board, to create a community of learning. Together they developed explicit and testable models of Zeno’s theory of change, then tested those models through systematic inquiry. In a recent review of the measurement, evaluation, and learning (MEL) work data2insight completed for Zeno from 2013-2016, what stood out was that data2insight had provided: 1) literature reviews that grounded the program in the current knowledge base as well as connected Zeno to researchers that helped them further program development, 2) developed valuable data collection tools, and 3) built the Zeno team’s ability to better understand how they could use measurement and evaluation to continuously learn, improve and scale up programs. 

Zeno then partnered with team data2insight to build their internal capacity to manage MEL. Over the following six months, Zeno hired staff who worked with data2insight to collect and analyze preschool teacher survey data. The Zeno MEL function is now led by Zeno staff. Data2insight’s approach to MEL laid the foundation for what MEL looks like at Zeno, which is now braided into their strategy. For example, as part of their ‘Invest in scalable growth’ strategy, they measure usage and adapt program elements to ensure the best adoption by families across racial and cultural backgrounds. 

SOLUTION

Data2insight guided Zeno leaders to take a systematic approach to measurement and evaluation that informed key board and staff decisions about program and organizational development.

Over 3 years, data2insight partnered with Zeno board and staff to co-create knowledge about their Mathematician in Residence, Family Math Nights, Math Clubs, and Early Learning Mathways programs that was used to inform decisions about program development. Our team facilitated three focusing sessions; conducted two literature reviews, developed custom data collection instruments; collected and analyzed surveys, observation, and interview data; published multiple reports; and engaged staff in data coaching. 

Data2insight’s 2014 evaluation findings, shared with staff and board, provided valuable information about what was working and what was not in the elementary school programming that Zeno had been delivering for ten (10) years. This information informed the staff and board’s decision to pivot into early learning, where they believed they could have a greater impact on the long-term success of Washington’s young people, especially children of color.

In 2015, data2insight partnered with Zeno staff and preschool staff to answer questions about the use and educational impact of the pilot of the MathWays curriculum centered around math games for early learners and their families. This process required high levels of engagement for all their staff and there was a steep learning curve. During this process, the data2insight team helped leadership see the need for adding a program director in order to grow organizational capacity to effectively develop this exciting new program.

OUTCOME

Zeno + data2insight = continuous learning and improvement to better serve communities across Washington State

2013-16 evaluation work highlights:

1. Literature reviews that grounded the program in the current knowledge base as well as connected Zeno to researchers that helped further program development,

2. Developed valuable data collection tools,

3. Built the Zeno team’s ability to better understand how they could use measurement and evaluation to continuously learn and improve together and scale up programs,

4. Increased organizational capacity to bring measurement and evaluation in-house.

The evaluation work was foundational to Zeno leaders’ development of a program that has grown over the years, from reaching a handful of preschool classrooms and fewer than 100 families served in 2015 to reaching over 6,000 families across Washington State in 2021. Led now by Executive Director Maile Hadley, formerly the program manager who joined in 2015 at data2insight’s recommendation, Zeno has an equation for success that makes math fun, includes families, partners with organizations, and educators, and centers racial equity.

Zeno staff indicated that the partnership with data2insight centered the importance of measurement and evaluation and built a culture of continuous learning and improvement within Zeno. Veronica Smith, data2insight’s lead executive and equitable scientist says, “We are thrilled to see how our work contributed to Zeno developing their own internal capacity to continually learn and improve the use of measurement and evaluation in ways that are advancing equity across Washington.”