The core challenge our proposal seeks to address is how to ensure that every American family and child has access to high-quality, affordable early childhood care and education (ECE) services in a critical period of human development, breaking a shortage of investment in young children. America's status quo asks the most of parents when they have…

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.

Babies need good health, strong families, and positive early learning experiences to promote their healthy intellectual, social, and emotional development. However, as the poverty rate for children under age 3 continues to increase, a rising number of young children are going without these supports. The federal Early Head Start program (EHS) was…

THE EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGE IN AMERICA'S CHANGING SOCIETY IS TO BRING EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL. SCHOOL COUNSELORS MUST EXPAND AND STRENGTHEN THE SERVICES THEY OFFER. THE COMMON DENOMINATOR AMONG SO-CALLED "DISADVANTAGED" GROUPS IS POVERTY, AND EDUCATORS MUST UNDERSTAND BOTH THE PROBLEMS AND THE POSITIVE QUALITIES OF THE…

This report represents one component of a project to examine how recently or whether enacted federal education reforms, put into place through the reauthorization of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Improving America's Schools Act of 1994), are being implemented in high poverty schools. The first part of the report…

The Florida State Legislature and the Department of Education have generally addressed the 1997 recommendations of the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) for improving student performance in high-poverty schools. Recent legislation and department actions have established a stronger foundation for ensuring that…

This report takes an in-depth look at the evidence of family well-being since the 1996 federal welfare legislation drawing on new national survey data, a review of studies by states and research institutions, and a compilation of findings from informal community-based monitoring projects. Disturbing findings include: Only a small fraction of…

The Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) program is a statewide effort in Wisconsin to increase the academic achievement of children living in poverty by reducing the student-teacher ratio in kindergarten through grade 3 to 15:1. This report is the second of five annual evaluation reports. During the 1997-1998 school year, the SAGE…

The Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) program is a statewide effort in Wisconsin to increase the academic achievement of children living in poverty by eventually reducing the student-teacher ratio in kindergarten through grade 3 to 15:1. During 1995-1996, the Sage program was implemented in 30 schools in 21 school districts. Over…

The Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) is a statewide effort in Wisconsin to increase the academic achievement of children living in poverty by reducing the student-teacher ratio in kindergarten through third grade to 15:1. Schools participating in SAGE are also required to implement a rigorous curriculum, provide before- and…

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…

Discusses adequacy and equity in school finance and efficiency in school operation, and recommends ways to improve all three. The ultimate responsibility lies at the state level. State policies and financing mechanisms must hold educators accountable while addressing challenges that are especially great for schools in high-poverty areas or for…

Considers state and national policies directed toward the homeless. Problems with policies for immunization and vaccination requirements, transportation, parent participation, domestic violence, and home schooling are discussed. Alternative solutions that may be more conducive to the education of the homeless are offered. (SLD)

This report provides state-by-state information on the characteristics and performance of schools and students in each state, information useful for monitoring the progress and evaluating the success of education reforms. The report contains two-page profiles that report the same indicators for each state and the District of Columbia. The…

This book discusses issues involved in the current debate over the nature and effectiveness of anti-poverty programs, and examines the high economic and social costs of, and the risk factors involved in, cyclical poverty. The book offers suggestions to help solve the problems of cyclical poverty and chronic disadvantage by highlighting effective…