Kristin Schumacher (she/her/hers)
Consultant
Kristin Schumacher, principal owner at Aster Policy Analytics, consults for the Budget Center team. She researches and analyzes California’s early care and education system and supports the development of the California Women’s Well-Being Index.
Before launching Aster Policy Analytics, Kristin worked at various organizations focused on improving the well-being of women, children, and families. Most recently, she led community-driven budget and policy analyses as Research Director at Kids Forward, the oldest child advocacy organization in the US.
Prior to relocating to the Midwest, Dr. Schumacher spent nine years at the Budget Center, where she directed the organization’s strategy, research, and analysis on programs that lift children and families out of poverty. During this time, Dr. Schumacher served as the principal investigator of the award-winning California Women’s Well-Being Index.
Kristin has a PhD in Public Affairs from the University of Colorado Denver and a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin.
When not calculating equations, she likes to read books, eat delicious food, hike waterfall trails, and craft beautiful blankets.
Recent posts by Kristin Schumacher
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Report
Chart Book: California’s Early Care & Education Programs
This Chart Book is designed to provide key information on California’s early care and education (ECE) programs. Inside you’ll find:Child Care & Preschool -
Q&A
Demystifying California’s Child Care Provider Rate Reform Process
key takeaway California is developing a new single rate structure to pay child care providers based on the estimated cost of care rather than what families can afford to pay, but improvements to the state’s alternative methodology will be needed to ensure the process results in fair and equitable provider pay. Child care is a …Child Care & Preschool -
5Facts
Understanding California’s 1.8 Million Gap in Publicly Funded Child Care
key takeaway California’s failure to expand publicly funded child care leaves 1.8 million eligible children without access, worsening affordability, racial inequities, and affordability challenges for families statewide. California’s state leaders acknowledge that child care is a key driver of unaffordability and is critical for children’s healthy development and a strong state economy. Among these state …Child Care & Preschool -
Issue Brief
Two California Families, Two Futures: The Real Cost of Federal Budget Cuts
key takeaway Republican federal budget proposals threaten critical programs for California families — like Head Start and afterschool care — while offering tax breaks to the wealthiest 1%, putting children’s well-being and working parents’ economic security at risk. The federal government funds critical programs and services for California’s families that benefit children across the state, …Federal Policy -
Issue Brief
Higher Wages for Early Care and Education Workers Builds a Stronger System
key takeaway Higher wages for early care and education workers in California are essential to expanding affordable child care, supporting families’ economic security, and addressing long-standing workforce inequities rooted in racial and gender disparities. Access to affordable, nurturing early care and education (ECE) is critical for families’ economic security and positive child development. California’s ECE …Child Care & Preschool
