Early Childhood Education Consulting Grounded in Doctoral Research and Daily Practice
Dr. Michelle Peterson, Ed.D. — Researcher, practitioner, and consultant to schools that want better outcomes.
Dr. Peterson brings 20 years of experience spanning the classroom, school administration, doctoral research, and founding a nationally distinctive preschool to every consulting engagement. Her work is grounded in evidence, tested in real classrooms, and designed to produce measurable improvement.
Whether your organization needs help designing an inclusive learning environment, implementing research-based play strategies, training staff on best practices, or building a preschool program from scratch — Dr. Peterson starts every engagement where the research starts: with your specific needs.
What Dr. Peterson Can Do for Your Organization
As a childcare consultant with doctoral credentials and 20 years of hands-on experience, Dr. Peterson's consulting services span the full spectrum of early childhood program development — from the research behind the strategy to the day-to-day implementation that makes it work.
NDBI Implementation Training
Training for preschool and early childhood staff on Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions — the research-based framework for supporting children with autism through natural play-based interactions.
Developmental Playroom Design
Consultation on designing, equipping, and programming developmental play environments that embed pre-academic skills in student-driven, monthly-rotating play experiences.
Inclusive Classroom Strategies
Strategies for serving children with autism and diverse learning needs in mainstream early childhood settings — without compromising outcomes for any child.
Peer Engagement Intervention Design
Design and implementation support for peer-mediated interventions in inclusive preschool and early childhood classrooms.
Staff Training on Evidence-Based Play
Professional development workshops on implementing purposeful play strategies, developmental assessment, and individualized learning paths.
Improvement Science / Cycle of Inquiry
Methodology consultation for school leaders seeking structured, data-driven improvement cycles — assess, design, implement, measure, refine.
Program Evaluation & Observation
Observation-based assessment of existing preschool programs with actionable recommendations grounded in evidence-based practice.
Preschool Startup Consulting
End-to-end guidance for opening a new preschool — from business planning and licensing to curriculum development, staffing, and facility design.
Speaking Engagements & Workshops
Keynote presentations and workshops on play-based learning, inclusive practices, early childhood leadership, and the intersection of research and practice.
Built for Organizations Ready to Improve
Dr. Peterson works with a range of organizations — each at a different stage of their early childhood journey, but all committed to doing better for the children they serve.
Preschool Owners & Directors
Curriculum evaluation, staff training, playroom design, program improvement. If you're running a preschool and something isn't working the way you know it should, Dr. Peterson can identify what's missing and build a plan to fix it.
Daycare Centers
Transitioning from custodial care to intentional learning environments. As a daycare consultant, Dr. Peterson provides staff professional development on evidence-based play strategies and developmental assessment.
School Districts
Inclusive practices, NDBI training, improvement science methodology, pre-K program evaluation. Dr. Peterson's administrative experience — including a decade as assistant principal — means she understands district-level constraints and politics.
Churches & Faith-Based Organizations
Starting or strengthening children's programming. Licensing guidance, curriculum selection, staffing standards, and facility design for organizations that want to serve young children well.
ASD-Focused Organizations
NDBI implementation, peer engagement program design, and inclusive environment consulting grounded in doctoral research.
In-person throughout Illinois. Virtual nationwide. Whether you need Dr. Peterson in your building for a week or on a screen for a strategy session, the expertise is the same.
Every Engagement Starts with a Conversation
Dr. Peterson begins every consulting engagement with a conversation about your organization's needs and goals. From there, she develops a custom scope and proposal tailored to your situation — not a one-size-fits-all package.
Tell Us About Your Needs
Submit the inquiry form below or email Dr. Peterson directly. Describe your organization, your challenges, and what you're hoping to accomplish.
A Personal Response
Dr. Peterson reviews every inquiry personally. She'll follow up to learn more about your context and begin exploring how she can help.
A Custom Proposal
Based on your conversation, Dr. Peterson develops a tailored scope — whether that's a single day of observation and recommendations, a multi-week training program, or ongoing consulting support.
She Doesn't Just Study Best Practices. She Runs a School Built on Them.
The difference between Dr. Peterson and most childcare consultants is simple: every strategy she recommends is something she has implemented, tested, and refined in her own school.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about Dr. Peterson's consulting services, qualifications, and engagement process.
What are Dr. Peterson's qualifications for consulting?
Is this consulting based on theory, or does she have practical experience?
Can Dr. Peterson help with our specific situation?
How much does consulting cost?
Is Dr. Peterson available, or is consulting secondary to running her school?
Start a Conversation
Tell us about your organization and what you're looking for. Dr. Peterson reviews every inquiry personally.
Your inquiry is confidential. Dr. Peterson reviews every submission personally.
Prefer email? Reach Dr. Peterson directly at consulting@sparkacademymorton.com