A 1993 survey of 500 households in rural Scotland, followed by 120 interviews, found that poverty was widespread; subjective assessments of poverty contradicted objective definitions in that people were satisfied with rural life; acceptance of government benefits was low; rental housing was scarce; employment opportunities were limited, especially…

Comparison of 27 school-aged impoverished children of mothers with mild mental retardation and 25 children of mothers without mental retardation found the children whose mothers had mental retardation had lower IQs, lower academic achievement, and more behavior problems. Boys were affected more severely than girls. Not one child with a mother who…

Analysis of data from the 1991 National Household Education Survey examined usage of various child care services by families with disabled children in rural and urban areas. Type of child care used was related to locale, parent educational attainment, poverty status, child age, maternal employment, and one-parent family structure. Contains 36…

Analyzes institutional responses to homelessness among children and youth in the United States and Brazil as a means of understanding the workings of the neoliberal state, both in developing and developed nations. Highlights a major contradiction of neoliberalism--its promotion of symbolic political and social inclusion, while simultaneously…

Neoconservative advocates of private and religious school choice are trying to exploit the dissatisfactions of poor, predominantly minority parents to create a publicly funded private school system free of public control and oversight. This alternative system would inevitably reproduce and legally sanction the "separate but equal"…

In recent decades, rural Mayan women in Guatemala have been working to overcome long-standing disadvantages: illiteracy, poverty, lack of basic community services, and lack of respect for women's abilities and contributions. Profiles of 10 Mayan women describe their educational experiences and their community development work, particularly in the…

Explored the crisis of respect needed to establish authority in two urban public high schools. Data from observations and interviews indicated that in classrooms, battles for respect involved defending the dominant educational regime and control over the daily regimen of pedagogical practice. In corridors, students moved between mainstream…

During the 1990s, the poverty rate in nonmetropolitan areas declined to a record low of 13.4 percent. Drawing on census data, aspects of nonmetro poverty during the 1990s are outlined, including effects of urbanization, regional differences, racial and ethnic differences, importance of family structure, needs for assistance and human services,…

This study examined the exposure to multiple physical and psychosocial stressors among low-income, rural, white 8- to 10- year-olds. Findings indicated that low-income children confronted a wider array of multiple physical and psychosocial stressors than did middle-income counterparts. Children showed evidence of higher levels of self- and…

Analyzes the complexity of attracting well-qualified teachers to struggling urban schools in impoverished neighborhoods, focusing on the impact of teacher quality on student achievement, the evidence that teachers regularly migrate out of low-performing schools, and the potential solution that lies in offering incentives to well-qualified teachers…

Three individuals long involved in Appalachian regional affairs are interviewed concerning Appalachia's future. Recent economic development based on cultivating "crossroads" growth centers has contributed to growing gaps between growth areas and rural areas and between the middle and working class, and threatens regional values of…

California's Mini-Corps Program provides direct instruction to migrant students, and develops a corps of culturally sensitive bilingual teachers by placing student teachers in migrant-impacted classrooms under a master teacher. Similar opportunities in science education are provided in an outdoor setting. Migrant students' dropout rates have gone…

This study documented the prevalence of exercise-induced asthma (EIA) in rural elementary schools, examining the use of a free-running asthma screening test and peak expiratory flow-rate measurement for school screening. Results indicated that 5.7% of the students had EIA. Absenteeism and poverty were related to EIA. (SM)

Examines parents' role--especially paternal participation--in family processes in poor and nonpoor two-parent families. Used longitudinal data to observe poverty patterns, and measured various factors, such as educational level, to determine their impact. Findings show that poverty and welfare experiences influence levels of father involvement…

Findings from two studies indicate that the nature of Canadian children's environments within their families, schools, neighborhoods, and communities has very strong effects on children's development and the prevalence of childhood vulnerability. Rather than stemming primarily from poverty, childhood vulnerability may arise from the environments…