The United States of America is often called the "land of opportunity," a place where hard work and sacrifice lead to economic success. Across generations, countless families have been able to live out that promise. However, more than one out of four American working families now earn wages so low that they have difficulty surviving…

In 1995, a federal report by the General Accounting Office (GAO) estimated that $112 billion was needed to bring the nation's school facilities into good repair. Subsequent studies estimated it would take more than $320 billion to build new schools to handle swelling enrollments, renovate aging buildings, and equip all buildings with the…

This study sought to determine why some families live outside the government cash income support system despite extreme poverty. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 95 extremely poor families (cash income below 50 percent of the federal poverty level living without employment income or government cash assistance). The interview sample was…

This report compiles the proceedings from the third national forum of the Canadian Child Care Federation, held in November 2001, which provided an opportunity for early childhood educators, practitioners, and researchers to share knowledge, learn from each other, and network with colleagues. The agenda included 4 keynote speeches, 30 workshops on…

In the prevailing and traditional definition, literacy is regarded as central to helping people obtain and retain employment, which is the key to moving them from dependency toward greater self-sufficiency. Another, more valid perspective is the view that literacy is not just the acquisition of reading and writing skills but is also a social…

This guide presents statistics on the wellbeing of Hispanic American children, comparing statistics for Hispanic and non-Hispanic white children in each state using data from the 2000 U.S. Decennial Census. Data are presented on: demographics (e.g., number of children under age 18, under age 6, ages 6-12, and ages 13-17); families and households…

A study examined the changes created in Mexican education resulting from the North American Free Trade Agreement and the hundreds of foreign (mostly U.S.) manufacturing operations, or maquiladoras, benefitting from the agreement. Interview data from 100 Mexicans and 25 schools indicate that the maquiladoras provide jobs for people who had none,…

This report describes the Hispanic population in the United States in 2002 using data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau in the Annual Demographic Supplement to the March 2002 Current Population Survey. Results indicate that more than one in eight people in the United States are of Hispanic origin. Hispanics are more geographically concentrated…

Within the last 50 years, the work-family-household arrangements upon which social policy systems in industrial nations were formulated have disappeared. This briefing paper examines how social policies of the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy, and France have responded. The paper is presented in two major sections. The first section describes…

There has been very little progress in closing the Black/White achievement gap in education. In this book, the author Mano Singham takes a look at this problem in the context of larger political realities and contends that in order to understand this gap, we must determine what is happening within the educational system as a whole. This book…

This handbook synthesizes research on the education of various subpopulations of students who tend to be highly mobile and explores common characteristics and significant differences. It provides a comprehensive array of resources for teachers and schools. Part 1, "Defining Highly Mobile Children and Youth," includes: (1) "Students…

The impact of supplemental assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on CalWORKs leavers was examined in a study of CalWORKs recipients in Los Angeles County, California, who stopped receiving welfare benefits in the third quarter of 1998. Two groups received federal housing assistance at the time of exit from…

Noting that children's educational success is a high priority for California parents, voters, public officials, and business leaders, this report card documents how economic, health, and other conditions affect California children's learning and well-being. The report's introduction discusses factors influencing educational success, including…

Addressing the issue of teachers' low expectations for students of color and students in poverty poses significant challenges to teachers and teacher education alike. This article presents core elements of preparing teachers for culturally relevant practice based on an extensive review of current research in the field. It builds on the key…

Studies continue to surface a disheartening fact: while research shows that teachers are key to closing achievement gaps, poor and minority students as well as those in low-performing schools are far less likely to have access to the most experienced and qualified teachers. For instance, although National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) are…