English
Rachel Schumacher is a nationally recognized strategic thinker and expert on early childhood policy with 25+ years of experience at the national, state, and local levels. Rachel is the current project director of the Raising Child Care Fund. Her previous work included working in the Office of Child Care in the Administration for Children and Families, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and J.B. and MK Pritzker Children's Initiative.
Rachel Schumacher is a nationally recognized strategic thinker and expert on early childhood policy with 25+ years of experience at the national, state, and local levels. Rachel is the current project director of the Raising Child Care Fund. Her previous work included working in the Office of Child Care in the Administration for Children and Families, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and J.B. and MK Pritzker Children's Initiative.
On today’s episode, we are joined by Rachel Schumacher, a nationally recognized strategic thinker and specialist on early childhood policy with over 25 years of experience at the national, state, and local levels. From government to philanthropy to grassroots, Rachel has focused on increasing equity in child care for children, families, and early educators that are typically not invited to the tables where policy decisions are made.
Looking back, Rachel can remember how invested her preschool educators were in her well-being and growth, both as a student and as a child. These warm and fuzzy feelings have followed her through her adult life and informed her passion for creating early childhood education policy that involves students, educators, and parents–those with the most investment in the system but often the least amount of input. Rachel advocates for approaching education holistically and viewing parents and teachers as parts of a whole, rather than opposing barriers in a child’s life.
In my discussion with Rachel, we explore the importance of listening to the advocacy community and those in the field to find solutions to community problems and how this approach has changed the way she views policy. She also reflects on how we can better serve children and parents by prioritizing parent-teacher collaboration in schools and embracing a more whole-child approach to education.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
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EPISODE CREDITS:
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