Julie Spielberger is a Research Fellow with expertise in child development and early childhood education, particularly emergent literacy, school readiness, the role of play in children’s learning and development, and improving program quality and professional development. Currently, she is Principal Investigator of an eight-year longitudinal study of patterns of service use and their relationship to family functioning and child development, particularly as they pertain to school readiness and school success. She is also leading evaluations of several system-building initiatives designed to improve the coordination and quality of a range of early childhood services, including home visitation and early care and education. Previous work includes an evaluation of a school-based behavioral health program, research on children’s literacy development in afterschool programs, and a national evaluation of an initiative to strengthen youth leadership, services, and community partnerships in public libraries in low-income areas.

Prior to joining Chapin Hall, Dr. Spielberger worked extensively in the training of Head Start teachers and as a researcher and consultant with Head Start family literacy programs. She has taught at Harold Washington College, Loyola University Chicago, the Erikson Institute, and the University of Chicago. She also managed consumer research for Playskool Toys, Inc. She received her Ph.D. in Child Development from the Erikson Institute, Loyola University Chicago, and an M.S.T. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Chicago.