There are concerns that too many young people, from disadvantaged backgrounds, are moving into secondary education in the UK, and elsewhere, without the necessary literacy skills to make progress with the wider secondary school curriculum. A large number of interventions have been proposed to reduce this poverty gradient. This paper summarises the…

This paper presents a comparative critique of key education and teacher education policies in England adopted by New Labour (1997-2010) and the Coalition government (2010-2015). It focuses on direct measures intended to alleviate the effects of poverty on young people's educational outcomes, and on teacher education policies with implications for…

After decades of decline, African higher education is now arguably in a new era of revival. With the prevalence of knowledge economy discourse, national governments in Africa and their development partners have increasingly aligned higher education with poverty reduction plans and strategies. Research capacity has become a critical development…

In this comparative paper we interrogate the access of social grants to meet orphan children school needs in Namibia and South Africa. We noted that the two governments are committed to provide orphan children with social grants to enable them to meet the school needs. However, accessing social grant to benefit most vulnerable orphan children…

The purpose of this study was to examine the college enrollment and persistence rates of rural high schools in Pennsylvania; the types of postsecondary institutions in which students from such schools enroll; and the student, school, and college characteristics associated with enrollment and persistence outcomes. The study used extant data from…

This study examines and compares the recruitment and retention of minority and White elementary and secondary teachers and attempts to empirically ground the debate over minority teacher shortages. The data we analyze are from the National Center for Education Statistics' nationally representative Schools and Staffing Survey and its longitudinal…

This paper reports progress on the development of improved measures of income and poverty by accounting for differences in living costs between regions, and on the tracing of relationships between natural resources and income; a reviewer's comments conclude the contents of this workshop collection. The overview describes how a measure of income…

Projections of 1980 population figures for the Appalachian Region are discussed in terms of growth rates, population trends, income levels, and changes in urban and rural counties. Tabular data are presented for population of the Appalachian Region, state parts, local development districts and subregions, and poverty status of household…

Overall poverty rate increased from 12.1% in 1969 to 15.2% in 1983. Nonmetropolitan rates were 17% in both years. While poverty among elderly decreased, especially in nonmetropolitan areas, poverty among children rose. In 1981, 60% of metropolitan and 39% of nonmetropolitan children in poverty were in families headed by women. (NEC)

Critically examines several perspectives from which the underclass is viewed and identifies policy prescriptions related to them. Conflicting perspectives correspond to assumptions about human nature characterized by Thomas Sowell as "constrained" and "unconstrained." Argues for an expanded federal role in helping the poor through employment…

Discusses author's observations of poverty-related problems within rural Sri Lankan schools. Juxtaposes literature on Third World education problems at national, district, school, and individual levels. Concludes high educational expectations in developing world are tightly constrained by poverty, negative attitudes, and weaknesses of systems.…

Documents rise in U.S. Hispanic poverty and Hispanic female-headed households. Assesses applicability to Hispanics of traditional models of poverty, family structure, and emerging underclass. Suggests that traditional models are influenced by Black poverty but Hispanic poverty patterns are different. Suggests national policy target growing…

Evaluates competing explanations for the relatively poor educational performance in Appalachian Kentucky. Concludes that substantial economic diversification would probably result in improved educational status. Warns against reliance on extractive industries and presents data showing increased income from mining to be significantly correlated…

This paper suggests that "Hispanic" populations are a diverse category. An undifferentiated comparison of the groups only creates a comparative "ecological" fallacy, which contributes to the creation of stereotypes rather than understanding. Each population must be placed within its appropriate historical, regional, and…

Noting that the preceding two decades have seen a dramatic growth in the proportion of families that are headed by women, this book explores the causes and implications of this development. The book bring together information on the past and present prevalence of mother-headed families in different countries. It then considers the various…