Principals of successful urban schools have certain attributes that heighten their effectiveness. They exhibit behaviors and attributes undergirded by an ideology, that is, a value-laden system of beliefs that is "caught" by life experiences and not "taught" in graduate courses. Potential star principals must be screened and selected before they…

Although a growing theoretical literature points to credit constraints as an important source of inefficiently high child labor, little work has been done to assess its empirical relevance. This paper examines the direct effect of a transitory income shock on household child labor choices, as well as the extent to which access to credit helps…

This report describes the current status of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) (referred to in combination as the Summer Nutrition Programs), federal entitlement programs providing support for state and local efforts to offer low-income children nutritious summer meals and snacks during supervised…

This 1999 study assessed whether laws protecting low-income people's rights were being followed and whether people on public assistance were receiving appropriate information about child care. Surveys of 92 parents, predominantly women, indicated that most were concerned about being sanctioned if they were unable to work (often because their…

These four Census Briefs highlight the information from the 2000 U.S. Census most relevant for community leaders, policymakers, advocates, and others concerned with the status of children and families in Rhode Island. The first brief describes home ownership rates, noting that homeowners are less likely to move than renters and become more…

Presented in English and Spanish, this publication compiles 13 presentations at a conference celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Cornell Migrant Program. The entries examine experiences of migrant workers and children related to immigrating, finding work, enduring discrimination and police harassment, switching schools frequently, suffering…

This report provides policymakers with information necessary to demonstrate that postsecondary education is an effective route from poverty to true self-sufficiency and prosperity for low-income women. It discusses the impact of the 1996 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) statute and the TANF reauthorization bill, the Personal…

This report describes major demographic and socioeconomic changes in New York's Hispanic population in the 1990s. Data come from the Current Population Surveys and the 1990 and 2000 U.S. Census of Population and Housing. Despite some gains, New York Hispanics were not significantly better off in 2000 than in 1990. New York City's Hispanic…

This research derives from the most recent wave of a longitudinal study of nearly 500 families in urban Philadelphia neighborhoods collected over a 9-year time span. Earlier findings revealed remarkable continuity in success trajectories from early to mid-adolescence despite hazards imposed by poor neighborhoods, low economic standing, and poor…

To make a case against recently passed legislation in Georgia banning social promotion, one must start by examining the state's rationale for the decision that based on the perceived views teachers have on the issue. Research suggests, however, that teachers hold contradictory opinions concerning the use of standardized tests for high-stakes…

Children that grow slowly experience poorer psychomotor development and tend to have delayed school enrollment and lower scores on cognitive tests. Rural households in developing countries often are unable to protect their consumption against temporary income shocks, such as droughts. Such income shocks have been shown to have negative effects on…

This report presents information from a study on the needs of homeless people which (1) identified and described characteristics of federal programs targeted for homeless people and key nontargeted programs available to assist low income people generally; (2) identified amounts and types of funding for these programs in fiscal year 1997; and (3)…

Marin City is an isolated African American community located in mostly affluent Marin County, California. Thirty-six percent of households in Marin City fall below the poverty line. This report provides three case studies from the Marin City Families First (MCFF) program, an intervention that aims to develop a model comprehensive child and family…

This report, a special supplement to "Now is the Time," is part of an ongoing analysis of U.S. cities and their economic health. It focuses on one vital economic region, the Northeast. Data from a number of sources reveal some key findings about the nine states of this economic region. Most cities in the Northeast are doing quite well,…

Using estimates drawn from the 1997 National Survey of America's Families (NSAF), this brief examines variations in the receipt of dental care services and in unmet need for dental care across different subgroups of children aged 3 and over, both nationally and across 13 states. The NSAF is a household survey that provides information on more than…