These four issues of the "Alaska's Children" provide information on the activities of the Alaska Head Start State Collaboration Project and other Head Start activities. Legal and policy changes affecting the education of young children in Alaska are also discussed. The Spring 1997 issue includes articles on brain development and the…

Companion to a five-part public television documentary, this book describes efforts across the United States to fight poverty, and also prescribes that we all take responsibility for a fight against economic inequality. The book's goal is to contribute to a meaningful discussion about poverty in America, a topic that cannot be broached today…

This report tells the stories of nine urban elementary schools that served children of color in poor communities and achieved impressive academic results. All of the schools used federal Title I dollars to create Title I schoolwide programs. In these schools, many important change efforts were enhanced through Title I education resources. Though…

Although the experiences from birth to age three influence how the rest of childhood unfolds, this critical time is usually neglected in the policies, programs, and budgets of countries around the world. This report details the daily lives of parents and other caregivers who are striving to protect the rights and meet the needs of young children.…

This paper examines Kate Walsh's Abell Foundation report, which purports to prove there is no credible research supporting the use of teacher certification as a regulatory barrier to teaching and argues against reforms that would strengthen incentives to bring qualified teaches to inner city schools. This paper discusses inaccuracies in Walsh's…

Two public policy shifts in the past 10 years--the move from welfare to work and the end of social promotion in school--are intertwined in their implementation in the lives of working poor families. This report draws on ethnographic data from a 6-year study of working poor families in New York City over the period in which welfare reform became a…

This document presents state-level data on Pennsylvania's K-college education, including demographic distribution across each educational level, participation and success in Advanced Placement, percentage of students taking high-level courses, school funding gaps, and high school and college graduation rates. In 2002, 57 percent of all 5th graders…

This paper focuses on challenges in preparing student teachers for diverse Florida classrooms, noting the current underperformance of many Florida schools, particularly urban schools. These low performing schools tend to serve a disproportionate number of poor and minority students, many in the early stages of learning English as a Second…

This document presents an outline of a number of social, economic, and demographic trends that influence the effectiveness of instruction and the social development of youth across the country. It contains numbers and statistics, recommendations, and implications, along with 30 references. The document covers trends in the following areas: (1)…

This collection of papers includes excerpts from books, essays, and articles that explore the heart of the teaching experience. Nineteen chapters explore the challenges and joys of teaching, focusing on the meaning and experience of teaching and the art of teaching skills. They include: (1) "The Heart of a Teacher: Identity and Integrity in…

This Kids Count report provides information on state and countywide trends in the well-being of New Jersey's children between 1990 and 1998. The statistical portrait is based on 19 social indicators: (1) children receiving AFDC/TANF; (2) children receiving food stamps; (3) children receiving Medicaid; (4) Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program…

This Kids Count Report details statewide trends in the well-being of Maine's children, with particular focus on child health care access. The statistical portrait is based on a variety of indicators in five areas: (1) child health care access; (2) physical and mental health; (3) community and family environment; (4) social and economic…

This Kids Count report examines national and statewide trends in the well-being of the nation's children. The statistical portrait is based on 10 indicators of well-being: (1) low birthweight infants; (2) infant mortality; (3) child death; (4) teen deaths by accident, homicide, and suicide; (5) teen birth rate; (6) number of teens who are high…

This book, the last volume in a three-part series, draws on a large-scale worldwide poverty study to present the views, experiences, and aspirations of poor people in 14 selected countries. In each country, interviews and discussion groups were held in 8-15 rural and urban communities that reflected the most prevalent poverty groups and the…

In Bolivia, a third of rural children are stunted, and rural infants are twice as likely to die before age 2 than urban infants. National survey data indicate child survival and development are related to maternal education and literacy, community sanitation practices, access to health care, and socioeconomic status. Parental knowledge about…