Education
- B.A., Columbia University, New York
- M.S. in education, Bank Street College of Education, New York
- Ph.D. in human development, University of Chicago, Chicago
Area of Expertise
Research interests
Workforce development and quality improvement in home-based child care settings, relationship-based approaches to professional development, family and community support roles of child care providers, and the role of family-provider relationships in early care and education.
Professional Highlights
Research Projects
- Home-Based Child Care Supply and Quality (2019-2024)
- Multi-Site Study of Family Child Care Decline and Supply: Examining the Factors Behind the Numbers (2019-present)
Research on Family Child Care Networks
- Building Home-Based Child Care Networks: Research & Resources for the Field (2021 – 2023)
- National Study of Family Child Care Networks (2017-2020)
- Family Child Care Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative Pilot (2018-2019)
- Philadelphia Family Child Care Collaborative Project (2016-2022)
- Family Child Care Specialist Training Project (2012-2015)
- The Family Child Care Network Impact Study (2008-2009)
Research on Family Engagement
- Family & Community Engagement in Illinois’s QRIS (ExceleRate) (2014-2015)
- North Lawndale Community Connections Caregiver Clusters Evaluation (2012-2015)
- Family-Provider Partnerships (2010-2015)
Select publications
- Bromer, J., Porter, T., Melvin, S., & Ragonese-Barnes, M. (2021). Family Child Care Educators’ Perspectives on Leaving, Staying, and Entering the Field: Findings from the Multi-State Study of Family Child Care Decline and Supply. Herr Research Center, Erikson Institute. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/FCD_DeclineStudy_2021.pdf
- Porter, T., Ragonese-Barnes, M., Melvin, S., & Bromer, J. (2021). Family child care educators speak out: A research-to-policy brief from the Multi-State Study of Family Child Care Decline and Supply. Herr Research Center, Erikson Institute. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/FCCEducatorsSpeakOut_2021_BRIEF.pdf
- Porter, T., Ragonese-Barnes, M., Melvin, S., Baquedano, J., & Bromer, J. (2021). Familia cuidado de niños los educadores hablan: Un informe de investigación a política del Estudio Multiestatal sobre el Deterioro y la Oferta de Cuidado Infantil Familiar. Herr Research Center, Erikson Institute. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/FCCEducatorsSpeakOut_2021_BRIEF_Spanish.pdf
- Bromer, J., Porter, T., Jones, C., Ragonese-Barnes, M., & Orland, J. (2021). Quality in home-based child care: A review of selected literature, OPRE Report # 2021-136, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HBCCSQ_LiteratureReview_2021-Remediated.pdf
- Porter, T., Ragonese-Barnes, M., & Bromer, J. (2021). Building comprehensive home-based child care networks: Evaluation Toolkit. Home Grown and Erikson Institute. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/HomeGrown-Erikson-EVALUATION-TOOLKIT.pdf
- Bromer, J., Melvin, S., Porter, T., & Ragonese-Barnes, M. (2021). The shifting supply of regulated family child care in the U.S.: A literature review and conceptual model. Chicago, IL: Herr Research Center, Erikson Institute. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/The_shifting_supply_of_regulated_FCC_in_the_US_2021_LITREVIEW.pdf
- Porter, T., Ragonese-Barnes, M., Melvin, S., & Bromer, J. (2021). Understanding the shifting supply of regulated family child care in the U.S.: A research-to-policy brief. Chicago, IL: Herr Research Center, Erikson Institute. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Understanding_the_shifting_supply_of_regulated_FCC_in_the_US_2021_BRIEF.pdf
- Porter, T., Bromer, J., Melvin, S., Ragonese-Barnes, M., & Molloy, P. (2020). Family child care providers: Unsung heroes in the COVID-19 crisis. Chicago, IL: Herr Research Center, Erikson Institute. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Family-Child-Care-Providers_Unsung-Heroes-in-the-COVID-19-Crisis.pdf
- Porter, T., Bromer, J., Melvin, S., Ragonese-Barnes, M., Baquedano, J., & Molloy, P. (2020). Provedores de cuidado infantil familiar: Heroes desconocidos en la crisis del COVID-19. Chicago, IL: Herr Research Center, Erikson Institute.https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Provedores-de-Cuidado-Infantil-Familiar_Heroes-Desconocidos-en-la-Crisis-del-COVID-19.pdf
- Bromer, J., Ragonese-Barnes, M., & Porter, T. (2020). Inside family child care networks: Supporting quality and sustainability. Chicago, IL: Herr Research Center, Erikson Institute. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Inside-FCC-networks-Case-Studies-2020.pdf
- Porter, T., & Bromer, J. (2020). Delivering services to meet the needs of home-based child care providers: Findings from the director interviews sub-study of the National Study of Family Child Care Networks. Chicago, IL: Herr Research Center, Erikson Institute. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Delivering-Services-to-Meet-the-Needs-of-HBCC-National-Study-of-Family-Child-Care-Network.pdf
- Bromer, J., Molloy, P., Porter, T.B., & Reardon, M. (2020). Erikson Institute’s Family Child Care Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative Pilot: Lessons Learned. Chicago, IL: Herr Research Center, Erikson Institute. https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Lessons-Learned-Brief-2020.pdf
- Bromer, J. & Porter, T.B. (2019). Mapping the Family Child Care Network Landscape: Findings from the National Study of Family Child Care Networks. Chicago, IL: Herr Research Center, Erikson Institute.
- Executive summary: https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/FCC-Network-Landscape_Executive-Summary_Erikson-Institute_Jan2019.pdf
- Full Technical Report: https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/FCC-Network-Landscape_Technical-Report_Erikson-Institute_Jan2019.pdf
- Statistical Tables: https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/FCC-Network-Landscape_Statistical-Tables_Erikson-Institute_Jan2019.pdf
- Bromer, J. & Porter, T.B. (2017). Staffed Family Child Care Networks: A Research-Informed Strategy for Supporting High-Quality Family Child Care. National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, Office of Child Care.
- Bromer, J. & Korfmacher, J. (2017). Providing high-quality support services to home-based child care: A conceptual model and literature review. Early education and development. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10409289.2016.1256720
- Bromer, J. & Weaver, C. (2016). Supporting family child care and quality improvement: findings from an exploratory survey of Illinois child care resource and referral agency staff. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 10 (4). https://ijccep.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40723-016-0020-8
- Bromer, J., McCabe, L.A., & Porter, T. (2013). Special section on understanding and improving quality in family child care: Introduction and commentary. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 28 (4), 875-879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2013.08.003
- Bromer, J. & Bibbs, T. (2011) Relationship-based professional development for support staff and quality improvement in family child care: From research to program development. Zero to Three Special Issue on Family Child Care.
- Bromer, J., Paulsell, D., Porter, T., Weber, R., Henly, J., & Ramsburg, D. (2011). Family-sensitive caregiving: A key component of quality in early care and education. In M. Zaslow, K. Tout, T. Halle, & I. Martinez-Beck (Eds.), Next Steps in the Measurement of Quality in Early Childhood Settings. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing