Single mothers have the lowest rates of degree completion of any demographic group when they pursue higher education as a path out of poverty. This article explores the obstacles student mothers face when they pursue higher education. The lived experiences of participants add context to data about low rates of degree completion. Findings are based…

This article examines the impacts of Opportunity New York City-Family Rewards, the first holistic conditional cash transfer (CCT) program evaluated in the United States, on parental financial investments in children, and high school students' academic time use, motivations and self-beliefs, and achievement outcomes. Family Rewards, launched by the…

Planning and preparing for life after high school is a central developmental task of American adolescents, and may be even more critical for low-income youth who are less likely to attend a four year college. This study investigates factors that led to the effects of the New Hope Project, a work-based, anti-poverty program directed at parents on…

This paper is a compilation of the major federal, legislative, administrative and statistical uses of the terms poverty, low income, and related expressions. The first section summarizes the most commonly used definitions of poverty. These are: (1) the official statistical poverty definition, (2) program eligibility guidelines of the Community…

Describes the failure of the low incomes of working and welfare poor to provide minimally sufficient food, proper nutrition and corresponding good health. Recommends the establishment of governmental programs to provide adequate nourishing food and nutrition information to need sectiony of the population. (SF)

Describes the progress of the Day Care Center program in Talladega County, Alabama, started in 1970 by a small Office of Economic Opportunities grant to the Talladega-Clay-Randolph Community Action Committee. (Author/JM)

This report is one of a series of papers presented to encourage discussion on the evaluation of important development issues. The recent emphasis within the Agency for International Development (AID) on knowing the impacts of development assistance, particularly the benefit incidence of projects and programs, makes it important to look at the…

Describes the activities of the Southwest Florida Self-Help Housing, Inc., serving three counties in the Florida migrant and seasonal farming area, first funded by the Office of Economic Opportunity out of its Migrant Division funds in 1967. (JM)

Uses federal survey data to examine U.S. population with inadequate income for less than one year. Reports long-term and persistent poor are more likely to be aged, Black, and disabled. Welfare programs may not target groups comprising the short-term poor, leading to inadequate services. (DHP)

Costs and the likely effects of assured child-support benefits on poverty and welfare participation are estimated under two scenarios: with and without incorporating the labor supply changes of custodial parents. Results indicate reductions in poverty rates, poverty gap, welfare caseloads, and expenditures. Changeable hours will increase costs.…

This paper provides a general description of the Consumer Price Index, giving special attention to the applicability and reliability of this survey data for revising or refining the current poverty measure. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is a statistical measure of the average change in prices…

Casts doubts on the current belief that poverty leads to less medical care, and results in diminished health. Holds that level of education is a causal factor in individual health status and medical care utilization; the observed correlation between income and medical deprivation appears to be a consequence of education's relationship with both…

The 15 essays in this book discuss the success and failure of federal anti-poverty programs since the 1960s. Titles (and authors) are: (1) "Introduction" (Sheldon H. Danziger and Daniel H. Weinberg); (2) "Public Spending for the Poor: Trends, Prospects, and Economic Limits" (Gary Burtless); (3) "Antipoverty Policy: Effects on the Poor and the…

The anti-poverty impact of government benefit programs has decreased since 1979 due to budget cuts during the Reagan Administration and the failure of states to keep benefits up with inflation. Since 1979, 30 percent of the increase in poverty has been among families with children, and half of the increase since 1981 is due to the declining…