This statistical brief provides an overview of Latino history in Nebraska and includes data tables that compare Latinos with other population groups in Nebraska and with Latinos in other parts of the Midwest. The first Europeans in the Midwest were Spanish, but they later abandoned their Midwest colonies, and today the Latinos in Nebraska are…

The number of children in working poor families is expected to increase as a result of welfare reform. This report summarizes the discussion of scholars, policy experts, and leaders of the Foundation for Child Development regarding research and policy on children in families headed by adults working in low-wage jobs. Key findings regarding…

Child care provisions in the federal welfare bill allow state policymakers flexibility in child care fund allocation. This report, prepared for the 75th Texas Legislature, reviews research on the importance of child care programs to low-income families. The report notes that the child care needs of many low-income Texas families have not been met…

This collection of essays by child advocates explores three interconnected facets of the child care and education field: the broad sociocultural contexts influencing the development of young children and their families, the evolution of specific settings or programs where care and education occur, and the emerging consciousness of early childhood…

This report summarizes ACT assessment scores of students attending Great City Schools (GCS) between 1990-99, examining achievement gaps by course preparation, race, gender, and poverty. Data included ACT composite scores and scores in English, reading, math, and science reasoning. The total number of ACT test-takers increased nationally by 20…

Despite increased government investments in education, West Virginia continues to have one of the nation's highest high school dropout rates and is among the states with the highest unemployment rates. Human capital theory provides the conceptual basis for evaluating the relationship between investment in education and economic development. An…

This digest discusses the current educational status of Latino students, using data from "Latinos in Education," a report by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. Latino preschoolers are less likely to be enrolled in early childhood education programs than other preschoolers. Latino preschooler…

The post-training needs of school counselors employed in urban settings were investigated in this study. A questionnaire was completed by a total of 275 school counselors from 9 urban school districts in Ohio. The top four post-training needs reported by the school counselors were the desire for training in counseling students who: (1)…

Although having one or more working parents reduces the likelihood that children will live in poverty, it does not provide a guarantee of escaping poverty. This report summarizes results of a project to develop a definition of working poor families and to provide a baseline of descriptive information about them. The primary data sources for the…

This report previews the Self-Sufficiency Project's (SSP's) longer-term effects by looking at these four related issues: wage progression, job retention, marital status, and attitudes toward work. A companion report, available separately, examines SSP's effects on children. Chapter 1 discusses the SSP research and demonstration project that…

The National Study of Child Care for Low-Income Families, conducted for the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a 5-year research effort in 17 states and 25 communities that will provide information on the response of states and communities to the child care needs of low-income families,…

Data from the 50 United States are listed for 1997 from Kids Count in an effort to track state-by-state the status of children in the United States and to secure better futures for all children. Data include percent low birth weight babies; infant mortality rate; child death rate; rate of teen deaths by accident, homicide, and suicide; teen birth…

This project examined children's academic performance and psychological well-being in rural communities affected by mass layoffs. In one study (Study A), school level data were compared from similar communities where worksite closing had or had not occurred. Study B explored risk and resiliency processes in a sample of 55 rural Asian Pacific…

This collection of snapshots examines the well-being of America's children and adults through the lens of the 1999 National Survey of America's Families. Snapshots include: "Foreword: Snapshots of America's Families II: A View of the Nation and 13 States from the National Survey of America's Families" (Alyssa Wigton and Alan Weil);…

Chile has an outstanding record in reducing poverty, having cut the poverty rate in half in the 11 years ended 1998. Poverty is a multi-dimensional concept, including both income and access to social services and education, as well as such intangibles as empowerment and social capital. This study presents a quantitative assessment of…