Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst

Karen Schulman is a Senior Policy Analyst in NWLC's Family Economic Security division. She researches and writes about child care and early education policies. She received her bachelor's degree from Williams College and her master's degree in Public Policy from Duke University. Prior to joining NWLC, she worked at the Children's Defense Fund. She enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews and is glad they will grow up thinking there is nothing unusual about a woman being Speaker of the House or running for President.

Expert in: Child Care & Early Learning, Child Care, Child Care Assistance, Child Care Tax Strategies, Head Start, Family, Friend & Neighbor Care, Prekindergarten, Military Child Care, Unionization
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My Take

More Backward Than Forward on Child Care

Posted by Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst | Posted on: September 29, 2009 at 12:34 pm

by Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst,
and Helen Blank, Director of Leadership and Public Policy, 
National Women's Law Center  

A new study by the National Women’s Law Center of policies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia reveals that between February of 2008 and February of 2009 more states made cuts than made improvements in their child care assistance programs. This is troubling news for the many low-income families who need help affording reliable child care that allows parents to work and gives children opportunities to learn — particularly since it follows years of stagnation in child care assistance policies and funding.

The study examines four key policy areas — income eligibility limits for child care assistance, waiting lists for assistance, reimbursement rates for child care providers serving families receiving assistance, and copayments required of parents receiving assistance. A majority of states did not make changes in these areas between February 2008 and February 2009. However, of those states that did make changes, more moved backward than forward.

In 2009, a family with an income above 200 percent of poverty ($36,620 a year for a family of three in 2009) could not qualify for assistance in over three-quarters of the states — even though a family at this income level could barely afford to meet its basic needs in the majority of communities across the country.

In many states, families cannot always receive help even if they meet the eligibility criteria. In 2009, nineteen states had waiting lists for child care assistance or turned families away without even adding their names to the waiting list.

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Tags: Child Care, Child Care & Early Learning, Poverty & Income Support | Add new comment

A Challenge to States: Building Strong Early Learning Systems

Posted by Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst | Posted on: July 20, 2009 at 08:16 pm

by Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst,
and Amalia Reiss, Intern,
National Women’s Law Center 

The President and Congress are demonstrating their commitment to early care and education by issuing an important challenge to states: Develop strong, high-quality early learning systems that help ensure children enter school ready to succeed. States that accept the challenge will receive new resources and support to meet this goal, which is essential for our children and our nation. 

An Early Learning Challenge Fund, first discussed by President Obama during the campaign and included in his budget proposal earlier in the year, has now been fleshed out in legislation introduced by Representative George Miller (D-CA) on July 15. The Early Learning Challenge Fund, which is proposed as part of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 (H.R. 3221), would provide $1 billion a year over 10 years to states that agree to work toward a comprehensive strategy for improving the quality of their early learning programs, particularly those serving disadvantaged children.

The initiative would make two types of grants available to states: Quality Pathways Grants for states that already have made significant progress toward establishing systems for improving the quality of early learning settings and that can serve as models for other states, and Development Grants for states that have some elements of a strategy to promote early learning but need an extra boost to achieve a truly systemic approach. States would be able to use the grants for several key components of a high-quality early learning system, including initiatives to boost the education and compensation of the early learning workforce, a system for rating the quality of early learning programs and helping them achieve progressively higher levels of quality, parent outreach and engagement, and coordination with other services for children and families—many of the same key components addressed in the Center’s Child Care Agenda.  

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Tags: Child Care, Child Care & Early Learning, Poverty & Income Support, Tax & Budget | Add new comment

Fair Pay for Child Care Providers

Posted by Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst | Posted on: April 28, 2009 at 12:20 pm

by Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst, 
National Women’s Law Center 

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Tags: Employment | 1 comment

The Budget Resolution: Who's Really Looking Out for Future Generations?

Posted by Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst | Posted on: April 01, 2009 at 07:57 pm

by Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst,
National Women’s Law Center    

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Tags: Child Care, Child Care & Early Learning | Add new comment

Wish Fulfillment

Posted by Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst | Posted on: March 12, 2009 at 01:00 pm

by Karen Schulman, Senior Policy Analyst
National Women’s Law Center

I was recently talking with my niece about what her bat mitzvah will be like—we’re both looking forward to it, although it’s still four years away.

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