Analyzed data from National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to determine whether impact of adolescent childbearing on women's subsequent contact with welfare system differed for Black women and White women (n=1,894). Results supported hypothesized patterns of association between early birth, educational attainment, years spent as single parent, years…

Studies the role of education and its effect on the economic well-being of Mexican Americans in the border city of Laredo (Texas). Finds that while barrio residents are profoundly impressed with the importance of education, Mexican American earnings fail to keep pace with educational attainment. (AF)

Describes evolutionary program development model to guide planning of services for farm families experiencing financial problems. Model forms basis for joint state and local program. Flexible structure enables initial responsive service and evolutionary development. Evaluation provides feedback for continuing development, improvement, and…

Research based on data from comparative study of eight public housing developments. Findings illustrate that deconcentration of public housing provides some benefits for low-income, single-parent households. Results tend to support claims of both proponents and opponents of deconcentration. Implications for management of public housing are…

Discusses successes and problems of Head Start. Suggests that Head Start's difficulties relate to its implementation, not its design. Proposes increasing the effectiveness of Head Start through a series of reform strategies that relate to interventions that address the needs of children in child care, preschool children, and school-age children.…

Discusses the problems faced by street and working children in Brazil, problems often exacerbated by the educational system. Describes how grass-roots activism led to enactment of an exceptional progressive law protecting children's rights. Examines the failure of technical rationality as the foundation of mainstream educational planning. (SV)

Argues that the quality of life for many preschoolers from disadvantaged backgrounds has not changed appreciably since the 19th century and that more must be done by school districts to implement effective preschool programs for all children. Suggests that supporters write to Secretary of Education Richard Riley to advocate that preschool…

Explores the theories and concepts of privatizing public school services. It is argued that education is a required service for all children, and, unlike business and industry, private education providers cannot fire their unwanted clients, i.e., poor-performing students, parents, or teachers. The issue of efficiency vs effectiveness is addressed…

Analysis of data on 3,277 children in the Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth dataset examined effects on children's mental health of family poverty and 3 residential characteristics (urbanicity, neighborhood poverty, and neighborhood racial homogeneity). Poverty negatively affected children's mental health overall, while…

Assesses the incidence of Asian-American and Pacific Islander-American poverty, and offers a theoretical explanation for its existence. It is argued that poverty of Americans of Asian and Pacific Island descent is best understood in the context of the linkage of labor migration and U.S. labor market segmentation. (SLD)

Examines the Swedish experience for lessons to help reduce infant mortality in the United States. Because of Sweden's efforts to eliminate poverty and provide comprehensive health care, there are only small social class differences in infant mortality. Class and race issues play much larger roles in the United States. (SLD)

Coursework-mastery test scores for all middle school students in a school district were used to test the narrowly meritocratic hypothesis that course-grade differentials for gender, ethnicity, and poverty groups can be accounted for by the differential coursework mastery of these groups. Samples ranged from 1,124 to 8,381 seventh graders and…

Explains characteristics and behaviors of Native American parents who react to child protection services with extreme aggressiveness, passivity, or avoidance. Discusses appropriate behaviors for social workers to use with such parents. (BG)

Reviews the extension of affirmative action beyond the population descended from slaves to women. The so-called feminization of poverty is often cited to justify employment enhancement policies for women. Differences between racial and gender groups make some of the principal justifications less applicable to women. (SLD)

Claims that the Carolina Abecedarian Project, an early intervention with children from economically and socially impoverished homes, has produced and maintained higher IQs in children at risk of mental retardation are examined for approximately 112 children. Assertions of project success are reviewed, and the implications are discussed. (SLD)