Rebecca Madill is a research scientist who studies the early care and education (ECE) experiences of children and their families, with a focus on the public policies that support access to ECE for families with lower incomes. She specializes in policies related to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), a federal program that supports access to quality ECE for families with low incomes.

Rebecca aims to provide useful answers to the most pressing questions of CCDF and Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) administrators in states and US territories, as well as federal policymakers. Since 2014, she has been partnered with the Maryland State Department of Education to ensure equitable access to high-quality child care for all families. Rebecca also has a long history of working with the National Surveys of Early Care and Education (NSECE), first as a data analyst and subsequently as a member of the 2019 and 2024 NSECE design teams. She brings her expertise with the NSECE to numerous projects funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), allowing her to answer high-priority questions for federal policymakers.

Rebecca’s methodological expertise is in quantitative data analysis; however, she frequently collaborates with qualitative data experts to ensure that constituent voices are heard. Rebecca’s methodological skills include complex survey analysis, multilevel modeling, and longitudinal data analysis. Her work often capitalizes on administrative data, reducing the need for new and potentially burdensome data collection.

Rebecca regularly presents at the National Research Conference on Early Childhood and the Child Care and Early Education Policy Research Conference. Her work has been published in peer reviewed journals, including School Psychology Review and AERA Open, the Education Digest magazine, and OPRE reports.

Rebecca received her PhD in human development and families studies from Penn State. Her research in graduate school included social network analysis in elementary schools to inform teachers’ behavior management. When not working, she enjoys spending time outside with her two young sons.