Presents the statement of the state Commissioner of Education before the New Jersey Senate Education Committee in defense of increased funding to urban school districts provided by the Quality Education Act. Argues that state legislators have a moral obligation and legal duty to see poor school districts properly funded. (SLD)

To enhance reform under the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), the University of Louisville has initiated the Housing and Neighborhood Development Strategies (HANDS) project linking education reform with the Louisville community. HANDS is an innovative and pragmatic partnership of businesses, government, universities, the school system, and…

Explains how land conditions and local land ownership patterns have contributed to the educational change that left a rural, primarily African-American town in North Carolina without its own school. The town's history, largely interpreted by one elderly African-American man, shows how economic structures have evolved over the past century. (SLD)

Reviews the following health issues related to the opportunity to learn for poor African-American and other minority children: (1) inadequate prenatal care; (2) malnutrition; (3) childhood diseases and illnesses; (4) unsafe environments and violence; (5) teenage sexual activity, pregnancy, and AIDS; (6) substance use and abuse; and (7) mental and…

Examines the current health and well-being of adolescents around the world. Considers the implications for adolescent health and well-being in the twenty-first century of societal trends, including growing poverty and income disparities, the changing health care system, increased migration and urbanization, and new information technology.…

A large percentage of U.S. students attending high-poverty urban middle schools achieve low levels of science proficiency, posing significant challenges to their success in high school science and to national and local efforts to reform science education. Through its work in Philadelphia schools, the Center for Social Organization of Schools at…

The purpose of compensatory education is grounded in the history and practice of addressing the effects of poverty on teaching and learning. The intended purpose of compensatory education was to provide additional investment in human capital for low-income students to compensate for the higher investments in human capital afforded to more…

In this paper, we examine some modern myths of poverty and special education. Mythology has been a staple of curriculum for many years, particularly in the early grades. Students study mythology to understand historical societies, unearthing cultural values and mores communicated through fables. Not so benign are myths related to poverty and…

While many efforts to reform high schools target large cities, a similar minority located at the fringes of American culture has been relatively overlooked. Low-income, rural students suffer many of the same social maladies--such as severe poverty and widespread drug abuse--as urban minority children, and they are comparably disadvantaged when it…

In an era dominated by issues of school finance adequacy, it seems particularly important to provide evidence that, despite a number of claims to the contrary, educational resources are indeed positively related to improved student achievement. One of the hypotheses of this article is that expenditures per pupil must be disaggregated into more…

Written by a prominent array of scholars and practitioners, this book elucidates the complexities, contradictions, and confusion surrounding adolescence in American culture and education. For too long, harmful public myths and lies have portrayed teenagers as a principal cause of our nation's social ills. Similar unfair charges have been lodged…

Reducing poverty and social exclusion is an important objective for all French governments. Even though conventionally measured poverty is in fact lower than in most other countries, it is still higher than can be easily accepted. The current policy approach involves a large number of measures tailored to different circumstances. Some policies…

This multi-year study reports on results for New York City Charter Schools through the 2005-2006 school year. As independent entities within the public sector, charter schools vary in their policies and practices. Policies that are unusual in traditional public schools but fairly common among New York City's charter schools include long school…

This study evaluated how public school districts collect, disaggregate, and analyze student outcome data. A survey was mailed to research directors and test directors responsible for assessments in 142 public school districts to determine if the districts have the capacity to analyze opportunity to learn (OTL) data, what their interest level is in…

Project Head Start has recently expanded into elementary schools through the National Head Start/Public School Transition Project (NTP), a school-based intervention program designed to improve outcomes for at-risk students. The SDTP (South Dakota site of NTP) is attempting to improve life chances for children by improving home and school…