Best of Times, Worst of Times: the US ECE field in 2024 and Beyond
After years of incredible hardship and dramatic change, US-based ECE leaders once again find ourselves at a crossroads. The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to already overburdened ECE providers. Then, emergency funding brought more than $40 billion in new spending, much of it directly to ECE programs. This funding has now largely expired, creating a funding cliff and new precarity for the field. ECE providers and policy leaders alike must ask ourselves: what did we learn from these experiences? What were the bright spots from pandemic spending, and how can we continue them sustainably? How can providers manage all this change - and support long-term investment in the field? Attendees will hear from panelists leading promising local efforts and leave with tools to understand funding opportunities in their state.
Chelsea Sprayregen
Vice President, Policy & Advocacy @ Lillio
Chelsea Sprayregen is the VP of Policy & Advocacy at Lillio. She works at the intersection of early childhood, technology and public policy. Prior to joining Lillio, she was the co-founder of Pie for Providers, a nonprofit dedicated to helping childcare providers collect government funding. She has also served as Entrepreneur in Residence at Promise Venture studio, helping early childhood social entrepreneurs grow their impact. Previously, she servied as Public Policy Director at BeneStream (a civic tech startup) and as a political organizer. Chelsea has an MBA from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business and a BA from Wesleyan University. She lives in Chicago with her toddler, husband and two cats. In her spare time, she enjoys long bike rides and long works of non-fiction.
Chelsea Sprayregen is the VP of Policy & Advocacy at Lillio. She works at the intersection of early childhood, technology and public policy. Prior to joining Lillio, she was the co-founder of Pie for Providers, a nonprofit dedicated to helping childcare providers collect government funding. She has also served as Entrepreneur in Residence at Promise Venture studio, helping early childhood social entrepreneurs grow their impact. Previously, she servied as Public Policy Director at BeneStream (a civic tech startup) and as a political organizer. Chelsea has an MBA from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business and a BA from Wesleyan University. She lives in Chicago with her toddler, husband and two cats. In her spare time, she enjoys long bike rides and long works of non-fiction.