Laura Pryor (she/her/hers)
Research Director
Laura Pryor, Research Director, conducts research to strengthen California’s early care and education system. Foundational to this work, Laura produces analyses to support expanding opportunities for families to access the early care and education programs that best meet their needs. Laura’s work strives to center priorities most urgent for families and child care providers to contribute to an equitable early care and education system.
Prior to joining the Budget Center in 2023, Laura was an Associate Director at Social Policy Research Associates in the Equity Education and Community Change Division where she led multiple research and evaluation projects. Laura was also a middle school English Language Arts teacher in New Orleans, Louisiana. She earned a bachelor’s degree in urban studies from the University of California, Berkeley, a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Ph.D. in quantitative methods and evaluation from the University of California, Berkeley’s Graduate School of Education.
Laura is a lifelong Californian. She grew up in Southern California and currently resides in the Bay Area. Outside of work, Laura enjoys running and biking on the Bay Area trail systems, visiting new restaurants, and spending time with family.
meet the expert: Laura Pryor
Read more about Laura's story and the work she's doing at the Budget Center in our Q&A.
Recent posts by Laura Pryor
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Data Hit
Federal Dollars Fund Child Care Across All California Congressional Districts
More than 300,000 eligible California children are enrolled in publicly funded child care, allowing parents with low incomes to work or attend school, while knowing their children have a safe place to learn and grow. In California, the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the main federal funding source. It makes up one in …Child Care & Preschool -
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 -
Report
Federal and State Budget Decisions Threaten AANHPI Women in California
key takeaway AANHPI women’s experiences vary widely across ethnicities, making disaggregated data essential to understanding the impacts of recent federal and state decisions. By examining the Women’s Well-Being Index indicators across multiple AANHPI ethnicities, this report highlights distinct challenges facing AANHPI women in California and identifies key steps state and local leaders can take to …Poverty & Inequality -
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
