In Langley Park, Maryland, a predominantly immigrant neighborhood, students perform well below state norms and have high dropout rates. Contributing factors are embedded in the schools and school system, neighborhood, family, and generalized process of marginalization. Residential mobility, school staff and peer turnover, and other elements of…

Discusses studies on the housing outcomes of welfare recipients to examine the potential influence of welfare reform on housing instability, which influences school instability. State studies suggest that welfare reform has increased rates of family mobility, evictions, and sharing housing. Limited research suggests that housing instability and…

Describes two segregation indices, the index used by Stephen Gorard and John Fitz when examining the segregation of students eligible for free meals in Wales and England, and a version of the index of isolation. Uses both methods to present social segregation data in English Welsh secondary schools (1994-1999). (CMK)

A story telling contest was used with 21 inner-city learning-disabled students (ages 9-15) to improve writing, reading, and comprehension skills. Measurable improvements in writing, organizational, and vocabulary skills were noted as was the development of student feelings of accomplishment. (DB)

Discusses the work of child psychiatrist James Comer regarding education of poor, inner-city minority students. His school-reform model emphasizes the social context of teaching and learning, noting that education of these children must involve parents, teachers, administrators, and mental health professionals who create the proper supportive…

The implementation of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act is likely to differ across state and localities, depending on history, previous support for vocational education, organizational patterns, size, and available resources. This paper discusses variables affecting implementation of the Perkins Act in Pennsylvania. Includes five…

Discusses a reading project, Beginning With Books, designed to promote literacy among low-income preschool children and provide them with books. Describes the project's development and the procedure for operating the Gift Book Program. Lists 51 books suitable for a toddler book collection. (RJC)

If trustees and presidents see themselves merely as managers and apply only the measures of corporate success to their enterprise, higher education is doomed to fail. The most critical problem facing the nation is to bring the most disadvantaged children into the educational mainstream and keep them there. (Author/MLW)

Discussion of equitable access to technology and information resources by disadvantaged children focuses on four recommendations from the Milton Hershey School (Pennsylvania): (1) establish regional information and technology collaboratives; (2) increase access to technology; (3) expand partnerships with businesses and universities; and (4)…

This study investigated several nontraditional identification methodologies for their efficacy in identifying both minority and nonminority gifted students. Sixth graders (n=433) were given drawing and problem-solving tasks. Peer and teacher nominations were also used. The assessments identified a proportionate number of minority and nonminority…

A first-grade teacher reflects on a new student in her class one year. The student was from a disadvantaged home and had few appropriate social skills but was very eager to learn and responded to the teacher with great affection. The teacher explains how much the experience affected her. (SM)

Describes an eight-month study conducted in five day care centers for children of impoverished families, using Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences as a framework to train the day care providers and to work with preschool children. Suggests that Gardner's framework is productive for all children, and is particularly applicable to children…

A Saturday enrichment program for gifted black children in Soweto townships (South Africa) is described, including development of basic numeracy and literacy skills for elementary students; work in English, mathematics, and science/biology for high school students; creative activities and excursions; interracial activities; and cross-cultural…

Discusses Tennessee's Project STAR and other research on class size, student achievement, and public policy. Findings provided no support for the idea that 12 years of small classes would produce significant increase in student achievement. However, disadvantaged minority students seemed to benefit significantly from small classes. (SM)

Describes a study investigating the effects of the Developing Understanding of Self and Others (DUSO-R) program and relaxation/imagery training on the self-esteem of economically disadvantaged fourth graders. Data analysis indicated that the DUSO-R effectively elevated students' feelings of self-esteem and global self-worth and acted as an…