Project Step-Up (Systematic Training of Educational Programs for Underserved Pupils) locates children from minority, economically disadvantaged populations with high potential in Texas, Arkansas, Florida, and Arizona and then uses a teaching approach that emphasizes critical thinking, vocabulary building, self-esteem strengthening, problem…

Interviews with homeless people in east Tennessee reveal how they came to be homeless and the problems encompassing homelessness. Most did not develop the sense of home that is formed early in life in stable families and that contributes to formation of self-concept. (LP)

Examines historical precedents for removing poor children from their families, reviews relevant experiences of Native Americans, and analyzes child placement through the lens of poverty. The role of the federal government in child protection is examined by comparing the Indian Child Welfare Act and the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act.…

Last summer, 400 elementary school students from rural Athens County, Ohio, spent six weeks attending a day program at Ohio University. Originally intended to feed poor children during the summer, the program now provides tutoring in reading, math, and computers, as well as enrichment activities and swimming. Parent aides can take one university…

Explains how one New Orleans (LA) school is making a positive difference in a low-income community by serving as the community's focal point and providing the community access to a public library, computers, and a learning center. Highlights the development of the Greater New Orleans Education Foundation and its assessment process, designed to…

Studied factors contributing to the academic achievement of nine high-achieving urban female students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Findings demonstrate the importance of a community of achievement created by these students within their school and the importance of parental expectations. (SLD)

Uses a causal model to understand the direct and mediated effects of neighborhood disadvantage and family structure on youth expectations. Demonstrates that the employment expectations of adolescents are significantly lower in both nonintact and welfare homes in comparison to youth in other households. Discusses implications for social policy in…

Discusses the history of welfare reform and the different approaches used in several states. Describes multiple models that have emerged in community colleges, including short-term training programs, open entry/exit programs or alternative entry dates, classes offered at unconventional times, company-specific programs, case-management strategies,…

Presents a case study of the "Coleman family" to examine support for literacy within an economically disadvantaged family, in which the child learned to value literacy and learned how to read very well despite the limited literacy abilities of the mother. Discusses ways teachers might help parents to support literacy growth at home and at school.…

A six-week university library intern program sponsored by the Job Training Partnership Act investigated the impact of 12 economically disadvantaged high school students working at Grambling State University (Louisiana). Interns succeeded, learned skills later described on their resumes and job application letters, and gained self-esteem and job…

Uses national survey data to examine the extent to which group differentials in early nonmarital childbearing are a function of normative differences in fertility intentions. Results indicate that birth intentions do vary by race and ethnicity, poverty status, and family structure. (RJM)

Asserts that John Baptist de La Salle remains a model for Catholic educators because: (1) he was an innovative educator; (2) he nurtured students' spirits as well as their minds; and (3) he made education accessible to everyone, especially the poor. States that these three principles should be the driving force for today's educators. (EMH)

Examines how U.S. societal stratifications have pervaded early childhood care and education and related social programs and policies. Reviews the history of multitiered early childhood programs, focusing on African American education issues, early 20th-century child care, and Head Start's legacy and limitations. Charts future directions for child…

Gunnar Myrdal's "An American Dilemma," revered as a monumental work on race relations, benefited from uncanny historical timing. As it repudiated racism and second-class citizenship, it also stayed within safe political limits for the time. The author never committed to policies that would secure real citizenship for African Americans.…

Describes the results from a family-based case management demonstration program which served families in North Carolina during the period of 1990 to 1993. The model from the program was based on the family investment initiative strategy developed by the George Washington University Center for Policy Studies. Implications of the results for social…