Georgia's HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Economically) scholarship program, which provides financial reward to students in public and private colleges, universities, and technical institutes, is discussed in an interview with Juanita Baranco, a state system regent, and Stephen R. Porch, chancellor of the state system. Focus of these excerpts is…

A study involving 2,929 Head Start children found that 8% transitioned into special education during kindergarten and showed divergent patterns of receptive language development. Head Start children in special education differed from children in general education based on child demographic, intellectual, behavioral, and health factors. (Contains…

Studied the association between perceived economic stress and adolescent adjustment in 229 Chinese adolescents using children and parent reports of economic stress. Findings show differences in perceived stress between parents and children. A lower level of perceived economic stress was generally related to better adolescent mental health and…

A large-scale study of the effects of the Job Training Partnership Act Title II-A program (n=21,000) showed modest positive earnings impacts for adults and cost-effective returns for society. However, net benefits for out-of-school youth and for society were negative. (SK)

A study of 177 low-income children (ages 3-30 months) investigated the relationship among neglect, failure to thrive (FTT), and cognitive functioning. The cognitive performance of children who had been neglected and were FTT was significantly below that of children who had only one of the variables and typical children. (Author/CR)

Examines aggravated and sexual assaults among 240 runaway and homeless adolescents (RHAs) in Des Moines (Iowa). Results suggest RHAs are at risk of life-threatening situations on the streets due to aggressive and abusive parents. Additionally, street life situations have significant impacts on the probability that RHAs will be victims of…

Notes that the state of Pennsylvania has one of the poorest records for equality in public school funding. Describes how administrators in the Harrisburg School District, one of the low-funded urban school districts, attempt to promote literacy and lift students from low-income families out of a failure cycle that many assume is irreversible.…

A retrospective exploratory analysis of data related to student mobility and literacy in one Canadian low-income, urban, elementary school found one-quarter of the student population changed over the course of an academic year. Transience rates tended to cluster in particular rooms. Mobility had little direct effect on student literacy. (Contains…

Description and economic evaluation of the first Spanish education-voucher program: The nursery voucher system in Valencia. Evaluation focuses on equality of opportunity and parental choice. Finds that vouchers allow a number of poor children to be schooled as well as allowing a number of parents to choose the school they prefer. Discusses…

Analysis of 101 projects in 7 public works programs (PWPs) in Western Cape Province in the mid-1990s estimated the public expenditure needed to transfer resources to the poor. Comparison of the result with that generated by a hypothetical, untargeted transfer showed that most of the PWPs outperform the benchmarks. (Contains 26 references.) (JOW)

Uses federal survey data to examine U.S. population with inadequate income for less than one year. Reports long-term and persistent poor are more likely to be aged, Black, and disabled. Welfare programs may not target groups comprising the short-term poor, leading to inadequate services. (DHP)

The longitudinal evaluation component of the Dutch National Education Priority Programme is discussed. This general policy program focuses on reducing all education arrears based on ascriptive criteria. The evaluation design includes the longitudinal cohort studies and a number of specific projects within the compensatory education program. (TJH)

Uses national survey data to demonstrate that, compared to the rural or U.S. non-poor, the rural poor consumed less of eight of nine key nutrients; and disparities were greatest for vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, and for the youngest (two-five years) age group studied. (SV)

Summarizes research studies on (1) differentials in retirement income and life expectancy in Montreal; (2) differentials in life expectancy following retirement in Paris; (3) relationship between work and postretirement health in Paris; (4) effects of piecework on aging in Quebec; and (5) relationship among occupation, health, and work ability in…

Describes how a Seattle principal confronted familiar urban school challenges and brought parents, teachers, and students together to focus on children' needs. The school's strategic plan included goals for behavior improvement, a quest for equity, an emphasis on parent involvement, and an ever-evolving child-centeredness. (MLH)