In the prevailing and traditional definition, literacy is regarded as central to helping people obtain and retain employment, which is the key to moving them from dependency toward greater self-sufficiency. Another, more valid perspective is the view that literacy is not just the acquisition of reading and writing skills but is also a social…

This guide presents statistics on the wellbeing of Hispanic American children, comparing statistics for Hispanic and non-Hispanic white children in each state using data from the 2000 U.S. Decennial Census. Data are presented on: demographics (e.g., number of children under age 18, under age 6, ages 6-12, and ages 13-17); families and households…

A study examined the changes created in Mexican education resulting from the North American Free Trade Agreement and the hundreds of foreign (mostly U.S.) manufacturing operations, or maquiladoras, benefitting from the agreement. Interview data from 100 Mexicans and 25 schools indicate that the maquiladoras provide jobs for people who had none,…

This report describes the Hispanic population in the United States in 2002 using data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau in the Annual Demographic Supplement to the March 2002 Current Population Survey. Results indicate that more than one in eight people in the United States are of Hispanic origin. Hispanics are more geographically concentrated…

Within the last 50 years, the work-family-household arrangements upon which social policy systems in industrial nations were formulated have disappeared. This briefing paper examines how social policies of the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy, and France have responded. The paper is presented in two major sections. The first section describes…

There has been very little progress in closing the Black/White achievement gap in education. In this book, the author Mano Singham takes a look at this problem in the context of larger political realities and contends that in order to understand this gap, we must determine what is happening within the educational system as a whole. This book…

This handbook synthesizes research on the education of various subpopulations of students who tend to be highly mobile and explores common characteristics and significant differences. It provides a comprehensive array of resources for teachers and schools. Part 1, "Defining Highly Mobile Children and Youth," includes: (1) "Students…

The impact of supplemental assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on CalWORKs leavers was examined in a study of CalWORKs recipients in Los Angeles County, California, who stopped receiving welfare benefits in the third quarter of 1998. Two groups received federal housing assistance at the time of exit from…

Noting that children's educational success is a high priority for California parents, voters, public officials, and business leaders, this report card documents how economic, health, and other conditions affect California children's learning and well-being. The report's introduction discusses factors influencing educational success, including…

Addressing the issue of teachers' low expectations for students of color and students in poverty poses significant challenges to teachers and teacher education alike. This article presents core elements of preparing teachers for culturally relevant practice based on an extensive review of current research in the field. It builds on the key…

Studies continue to surface a disheartening fact: while research shows that teachers are key to closing achievement gaps, poor and minority students as well as those in low-performing schools are far less likely to have access to the most experienced and qualified teachers. For instance, although National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) are…

Children are among the poorest of Maine's residents. Nearly 1 in 5 children under the age of 18, 19.3%, lived in families below the federal poverty line in the early 1990s. Most of these poor children lived in working families. The working poor are often missing from policy debates, but their numbers are likely to increase with welfare reform…

A practicum strategy was designed and implemented that focused on reducing the negative impact of adverse environmental conditions in one particular neighborhood in a town in Alberta (Canada) with a population of 8,500. Children in this neighborhood were served by one elementary school (enrollment 383), from which the strategy was implemented. The…

This annual report of the Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC) describes the agency's extension and research activities from October 1, 1995, to October 1, 1996. SRDC is one of four regional centers coordinating rural development research and extension education programs cooperatively with the land-grant institutions. SRDC cooperates with 29…

This paper focuses on sociological and demographic characteristics of Hispanics, particularly Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans living in the United States. Sections are organized around data tables and figures (based primarily on 1990 census data), with explanatory text, and cover minority populations in the United States, Latino…