The first major objective of this paper is to describe in some detail the research that documents the proposition that even extremely disadvantaged 5-year-olds can be taught to read in kindergarten, and that, contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence of negative side effects from such teaching. The paper also describes an effective academic…

Portland, Oregon, employers approached by Work Incentive Program (WIN) clients were surveyed to determine their reactions to various components of the voucher on-the-job training (OJT) program, to identify the types of employing organizations that were likely to be receptive to vouchered OJT, to assess the actual functioning of the voucher system…

A project to implement the theories of Jean Piaget in elementary school curricula, teacher inservice training, and college preservice training with 11 school districts, a college, and New York State Education Department was described in this paper. The change in the program scope from a teacher introduction to Piaget's theory focusing on…

The focus of the report is on the record and potential of urban Work Incentive (WIN) Programs for improving the status of disadvantaged workers. The single most important observation is that WIN Program efforts have no significant impact on the number or quality of jobs attained by the disadvantaged. These indices of program output are almost…

Based on the view that the single most important goal of Head Start reauthorization legislation should be to improve Head Start and other preschool programs to better ensure that participating children are prepared to succeed in school, this paper describes the limited educational progress for children in Head Start and problems resulting from a…

In 1998, the Illinois statewide coalition Work, Welfare and Families, in partnership with the Chicago Urban League, undertook a study to assess the effects of welfare reform on low-income families and children across Illinois. The findings were derived from three sources: a self-administered survey of 2,166 low-income clients of Illinois social…

During its 8-year history, the federal Adult Education for the Homeless Program (AEH) pioneered new methods of service to adults in need and benefited over 320,000 homeless adults and families. Despite an evaluation that documented program success, funding was rescinded from the 1995 federal budget and never reinstated. AEH programs developed the…

Summarizes recent ERIC documents on at-risk children. (Author/BB)

A token reinforcement program with microcomputer free time as the reinforcer was implemented to decrease the tardiness of a middle school economically disadvantaged student. The microcomputer time was a very effective reinforcer; school personnel reported improved school attendance and a decrease in administrative discipline related to tardiness;…

Examined the effectiveness of the Wisconsin Learnfare experiment that requires teens to attend school regularly as a condition of receiving family financial aid. Findings from state social services data reveal that, despite a $1.5 million "savings" attributed to the program between September 1988 and December 1989, tremendous family…

The Ventures in Education program, begun 10 years ago, includes honors-level curriculum, advanced placement courses, summer workshops, enrichment, a longer school day, and continued counseling and guidance. It has demonstrated that poor, disadvantaged high school students can learn to excel in demanding courses of study. (MSE)

Assesses effectiveness of three preschool curriculum models by examining the lives of 68 23-year-olds randomly assigned to one such group as economically disadvantaged preschoolers. Young people experienced fewer emotional problems and felony arrests if they had attended a preschool program based on child-initiated learning activities geared to…

This is volume three of a six-volume guide to the establishment and management of a comprehensive family-support program. This volume explains the role played by evaluation in the evolution of family-support and family-education services, introduces key aspects and important considerations in planning an evaluation, and discusses how to choose a…

This paper presents the findings of an ethnographic study of a state-run and state-funded remediation program for economically disadvantaged adolescents. The program's main purpose was to reintegrate students defined as "at risk" of dropping out back into their schools. The program, the Ordered School Reinforcement Program (OSRP), was implemented…

This testimony of the President of Public/Private Ventures (PPV) in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) is on the subject of designing effective youth services programs, particularly in light of the PPV's experience with its program, Summer Training and Education Program (STEP). Following a description of the background for this and similar programs, the…