More than 30 years after the Great Society initiatives, poverty continues to put large numbers of students at risk of school failure. The challenges to education and life success are most severe for children in the nation's poorest rural counties, the 535 rural persistent poverty (RPP) counties. This digest provides background on RPP counties and…

Noting that child poverty has been a persistent problem for Arkansas children despite improvements in the economy, this Kids Count special report focuses on child poverty in Arkansas. The report examines how child poverty is measured and notes the limitation of existing poverty data; it also discusses the causes and consequences of poverty and…

This paper describes the Academic Summer Camp (ASC) initiated at The Accelerated School (TAS), the country's first charter accelerated school. The ASC delivers educational services to K-7 children and their parents in south central Los Angeles. Students are 40 percent African American and 60 percent Latino, and most qualify for the federal free…

This report describes patterns of racial enrollment and segregation in U.S. public schools at the national, regional, state, and district levels using the 2000-01 NCES Common Core of Data. Trends in desegregation and resegregation over the last one-third century are also examined. Whites are the most segregated group, attending schools that are,…

Noting that Rhode Island has seen a significant increase in child poverty over the last decade in the context of a national decline, this Kids Count issue brief presents an in-depth examination of the economic well-being of children in the state. The brief notes that the highest rates of Rhode Island childhood poverty are among families with young…

Noting that little is known about how the social environment affects academic achievement among groups of students, this study examined the associations among substance use, violent/delinquent behavior, and academic achievement in groups of middle and high school students. Data sources for middle school students were the 1998 Washington State…

Most social scientists assert that Whites and African Americans exist in different economic, political, and social environments and that these contextual differences contribute substantially to group differences in violence and other antisocial outcomes. This paper uses data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and structural…

Noting that improving practice in all child welfare services is a major goal of the Child Welfare League of America, this handbook presents goals and standards for services to strengthen and preserve families with children. The handbook begins with introductory sections describing standards development, detailing how to use the standards, and…

This Kids Count report assembles some of the indicators that describe the economic environment of Minnesota children and families. The report is intended to serve as a resource for policymakers at the city, county, and state levels, as well as community advocates, parents, and those who work with children. Section 1 of the report presents…

This guide focuses on these two key challenges that states and localities have identified as important for the long-term success of welfare reform and work force development efforts: helping low-income parents sustain employment (steady work) and advance in the work force (better jobs). The guide consists of five parts and is structured to…

This Congressional hearing included presentations from several Title I educators and administrators who provided information on what Title I really looks like at the local level and what special challenges they face. Statements were made by a Florida elementary school principal, a Pennsylvania school superintendent, the Coordinator for Title I…

Even Start programs integrate early childhood education, adult literacy or basic education, parenting education and support, and parent and child time to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy. This report describes the Even Start program in Colorado, and includes evaluation questions and methods. The report presents evaluation findings…

In 1998, the Keystone Research Center published a comprehensive review of research on two high-profile ideas for raising educational achievement: lowering class size in the early grades and instituting private school vouchers. This report presents a research update, emphasizing results since early 1998. Over the past 2 years, the evidence on the…

This study, sponsored by the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, sought to: (1) provide longitudinal data regarding the percentage of public libraries connected to the Internet; (2) provide longitudinal data regarding the percentage of public libraries that provide graphical public access Internet services; (3) provide…

This report presents current information on the characteristics and work patterns of hired laborers who perform crop work in the United States. Information was obtained from interviews with 4,199 workers in 85 counties between October 1, 1996 and September 30, 1998. Chapters 1-3 provide information about the farmworkers themselves, including…