The word "underclass" has become popular, but it is nebulously defined. The focus of discussions on the underclass is not on economics but behavior. The poor are scapegoats for drug problems and the crime rate. The concept of "underclass" ignores the conflict between the dynamic of tokenism and the reality of capitalism. (BJV)

An experimental study compared the instructional effectiveness of Logo programming, commercially available software designed to aid composition and problem solving, and traditional teaching methods for low socioeconomic status first-grade students. Both software environments enhanced problem solving performance for a novel task, but Logo was most…

Describes Australian study which investigated relationships between characteristics of disadvantaged elementary and secondary students and their participation in computing activities, both in and out of the classroom. Variables used to define disadvantaged include gender, school ability, socioeconomic status, and ethnic background. Results are…

Civil Rights leaders should be demanding educational standards, not working to defeat them, which is the outcome of the movement's shift away from color-blind standards. The growing preoccupation with race-conscious policies has affected Black academic achievement negatively. Disadvantaged minorities should applaud competency standards for…

The economic, social, and educational history of the Burakumin--a Japanese minority group--is traced since 1603. The role of Burakumin activism--plus increased national awareness and economic well-being--in promoting economic, social, and educational improvement is reviewed. It is noted that Burakumin progress toward further social and educational…

Global conditions that form the context for adult education in 1985 are examined. Trends in third world and in industrialized nations are discussed. Reaching the educationally underprivileged is a concern. Those who already have a successful formal educational experience are the ones most likely to take advantage of adult education. (RM)

Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, this issue of "Data Notes" looks at the relationship between institutional size differences at Achieving the Dream colleges. Nearly half of Achieving the Dream colleges are classified as small, but these colleges account for only 11 percent of students in the fall 2002 cohort. Only 29…

Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, this issue examines the percentages and numbers of students who attempted and completed both developmental and college-level math. The analysis reveals that a large portion of students either do not attempt or do not complete developmental math coursework. Furthermore, the data show…

Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, this Data Note's issue examines developmental math referrals, attempts and completions from the 2002 Achieving the Dream student cohort over two academic years, fall 2002 through spring 2004. Although approximately half of the students who were referred to developmental math completed…

One of the most popular and enduring legacies of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society programs, Project Head Start continues to support young children of low-income families--close to one million annually--by providing a range of developmental and educational services. Yet as Head Start reaches its fortieth anniversary, debates over the…

The goal of the Pathways to College Network is to advance college access and success for underserved students, including those who are the first in their families to go to college, low-income students, underrepresented minorities, and students with disabilities. All of the Pathways work is grounded in data and research. Through a synthesis of…

Data in this report reveals that collectively bargaining agreements are not the source of the teacher quality problem in urban school districts. The data shows that collective bargaining agreements are associated with reduced teacher transfer activity, especially in high-poverty schools, and less reliance on first-year teachers to staff…

Stressed by high poverty levels, a low tax base and low teacher salaries, the East Feliciana School District competes, most often unsuccessfully, with neighboring districts and states, and with a relatively segregated white academy system for qualified teachers and pupil resources. Consequently, at the dawn of the federal government's landmark…

The globalization of information has led to increased optimism about the increasing role of global civil society. However, the underdeveloped have been left out of this information explosion. Through development, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) seek to empower the poor so that they have the resources and abilities to join the rest of the…

This study is the expanded version of the advocacy brief "Mother Tongue-Based Teaching and Education for Girls" [ED495413]. It highlights in more detail the correlations between girls, language and marginality, and shows that there are indeed positive links between the use of mother tongue in education and female participation and…