By providing early access to education, early childhood and community-based programs are helping to close the achievement gap prevalent among children from impoverished homes.

A longitudinal research study was conducted at a public university in Pennsylvania on a sample of 129 at-risk students from a state-funded program (Act 101) designed to provide support services for economically and educationally disadvantaged students. This research employed a non-experimental, ex post facto methodology to assess the impact of…

This research investigated the effects of two contrasting pre-k curricula, relative to practice as usual, on subsequent academic achievement. One curriculum had a strong literacy focus, the other was a less didactic "developmentally appropriate" curriculum that allowed children to have more influence on classroom activities. The purpose…

The Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) of New York State provides grants to institutions of higher learning for the recruitment and education of economically and educationally disadvantaged students who, though not admissible by traditional criteria, have potential for successfully completing a college degree program. This report…

This report describes the operation of the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) of New York State which is designed to support the screening, testing, counseling, tutoring, and teaching of New York State students who have attained a high school diplima or a New York State high school equivalency diploma, have the potential for the…

Nineteen states are covered in this report on state compensatory education programs, examining the status of state financed compensatory education programs established during the last decade through the passage of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Programs discussed are stated to be limited to those designed for elementary and…

The State Disadvantaged Child Project provided support for students residing in the Portland Oregon core area. The focus of the project in both "sending" and "receiving" schools was achievement in basic skills. Three special programs received partial support for students largely residing within the core area. These included the…

This project provides school authorities with the stimulus and funds to take leadership, on behalf of children living in circumstances of poverty, in utilizing the participation of parents and bringing about coordination between the school and community agencies providing services to meet the physical and mental health, and nutritional and…

In New York State the Governor's Plan under the Job Training Partnership Act requires that the State Education Department allocate its Title IIA funds among three general program areas for local services: (1) basic skills preparation; (2) school to work transition; and (3) firm specific training. The Plan also provides for coordination of…

According to recent studies, families with children are now the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population: 40 percent of the homeless population consists of members of families. Forty-three percent of homeless children do not attend school, which provides children with a much-needed sense of place and continuity that they otherwise lack…

Vocational education has been greatly increasing its services to special needs populations. For example, the enrollments reported by the states for school year 1982-83 indicate a 38 percent increase in the number of handicapped persons served in vocational education, a 65 percent increase in the number of disadvantaged served, and a 163 percent…

This volume is one of the products of the knowledge development effort implemented under the mandate of the Youth Employment and Demonstration Projects Act of 1977 (YEDPA). It provides an overview of FY 1979 planned projects funded in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico under the Governors' statewide youth services grants…

A third-party evaluation of the Texas coordinated vocational-academic education (CVAE) program was conducted in 1984-85 to determine the effectiveness of CVAE as a vocational program for meeting the needs of secondary students who are unsuccessful in traditional academic programs. A project advisory committee was established, a review of…

The millions of disadvantaged youth, especially minority group youths, face a bewildering mix of job training and employment programs. Because of bureaucratic regulations and funding complications, most of these programs are not effective for the majority of youths who need them. To be effective, youth employment and training programs should…

The major objective of this study was to evaluate the operation and impact of the national educational program for disadvantaged children authorized by ESEA Title I in terms of criteria set down by the original enacting legislation and elucidated in associated regulations. The program's administrative structure and authorizing legislation were…