Describes rural schooling issues and rural school reform that focuses on teaching national norms and values perceived as critical for successful participation in the national culture. Data collected from one Appalachia school system illustrate the cultural conflict with values of familism, place, tradition, and fundamentalism. (MMU)

Studied a pilot program to give preservice teachers a broader look at the lives of children by placing the teachers with community service agencies to work with staff serving low-income parents and children from diverse backgrounds. Preliminary evaluation indicates that most preservice teachers expanded their views about families served by social…

Review of records of families with preschool children referred to an outpatient treatment center for emotionally and behaviorally troubled preschoolers found a greater degree of parenting stress was significantly associated with poorer attendance at group therapy for children, whereas greater socioeconomic disadvantage was significantly associated…

Introduces workshop papers proposing research agendas based on the assumption that street children's public image hinders both research and program development. Argues that research emphasis should shift to analysis of children's relationship to the street environment; this approach, derived from social science research, entails innovative and…

Examines the widening gap between rich and poor in Latin America, and the troubling performance of new Latin American democracies. Reviews human-capital, neoconservative, neoliberal, functionalist, and social democratic theories about education and poverty. Presents eight theses about the state, poverty, and education, and calls for education to…

Addresses the crucial role of families in helping students learn, arguing that the success of schooling depends on the contributions of the home and school/home collaborations. Ways to better understand the everyday lives of children living in poverty are illustrated to help schools increase learning opportunities for all children, even when…

Documents the plight of children in poverty, examines the secondary effects of poverty upon the person and community, analyzes why the current subsidy approach has been ineffective, and seeks a holistic explanation for poverty. A universal, revenue-neutral approach to reducing poverty based on "supplementation" and…

Describes the framework of the Annie E. Casey Foundation for addressing the family and community factors that make family and child success particularly challenging in poor neighborhoods. Discusses the importance of economic opportunities, strong social networks, and formal supports/services. Describes the Neighborhood Transformation/Family…

Explains the educational challenges in the southeast United States that cause negative attitudes among students toward science. Targets safety; introduction to laboratory equipment; learning to construct graphs, tables, and charts; and learning the steps of experimentation as the objectives of classroom instruction. Identifies the assessment of…

Used data from the 1980 High School and Beyond study to examine the educational fortunes of a cohort 6 years after high school graduation. Data show that schools serving more poor students were less likely to "send" students to college and that high school grade point average and parents' education were significant at every stage in the…

Reports assessment of the first-year results of several new kindergarten initiatives in Montgomery County Public Schools. Finds that students attending full-day, reduced class-size kindergarten programs had significant gains in the acquisition of foundational reading skills. Programs also reduced reading-skills gap between high-risk student…

Analysis of data from state programs providing financial assistance for needy persons and disability prevalence data led to recommendations such as expanding access to health care and quality early childhood care for at-risk children, promoting the use of behavioral health services, lowering eligibility standards, and increasing the use of Social…

Presents the results of a national study examining effectiveness of employment- and education-focused welfare-to-work programs. Considers the implications for community colleges, particularly training for quick employment versus stable jobs that pay a living wage. Concludes that, compared with other institutions, community colleges have the most…

Data are used from African American families in impoverished Chicago neighborhoods to address two questions: How well do modeling, supervision, and marital transition hypotheses explain the relationship between family structure and early sexual debut and pregnancy? Do higher levels of social support from parents and neighborhood adults decrease…

Reports that since the passage of the Welfare Reform Act in 1996, community colleges have invested time and money to create programs that ensure the successful transition of welfare recipients to self-sufficient workers. Cites recent resources on the efforts of educators to improve the status of welfare recipients, particularly in the two-year…