Louisiana concentrates its postsecondary financial aid funding in merit-based aid programs, as opposed to need-based aid programs. This study illuminates the distribution of Louisiana's merit-based financial aid program, Louisiana's Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS), to students from difference socioeconomic backgrounds by describing…

At a time when "personal development planning" is being rolled out across the UK higher education sector, this paper explores young adults' inclinations to plan for the future in relation to work, relationships and other aspects of life. Although Giddens has emphasised the prevalence of strategic life planning (or the "colonisation…

This paper is based on the concept of inclusion as a process of recognising and minimising the barriers to learning and participation of all children, with teachers as the key players in implementing inclusion in practice. There are two key questions: (1) How do teachers rank different groups of marginalised children? (2) How do teachers see their…

By the end of fourth grade, African American and Latino students, are two years behind their wealthier, predominantly white peers in reading and math. By eighth grade, they have slipped three years behind, and by 12th grade, the gap is full four years. These are just two examples of the most alarming figures that threaten the educational equity of…

President George W. Bush signed into legislation one of the most influential and controversial educational reforms--the 2001 "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB). The purpose of the NCLB is to "ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum,…

Few studies have examined the impact of mentoring (developing a special relationship with a nonparental adult) on educational achievement and attainment in the general population. In addition, prior research has yet to clarify the extent to which mentoring relationships reduce inequality by enabling disadvantaged youths to compensate for the lack…

As Catholic high schools continue to experience success in interscholastic athletic leagues, state associations have repeatedly contemplated ways to thwart the perceived Catholic school advantage. In a number of states, the athletic associations have responded to the success of private schools in interscholastic competition by applying a…

The authors developed a grounded theory about how a school serving relatively advantaged children produces high reading and writing achievement compared with schools serving similar populations of students. The school's faculty is reading and writing focused, and students experience many books as they receive explicit, demanding instruction (i.e.,…

Although social justice education should be an ongoing process that transcends curriculum, pedagogy, and the institutional establishment of education, it is often neglected. This action research study describes how middle/high school students responded to music and poetry as social justice texts. The study documents the curricular and pedagogical…

Declining tobacco use in high-income nations and rising tobacco use in low- and middle-income nations raises questions about the sources of worldwide patterns of smoking. Theories posit a curvilinear influence of national income based on the balance of affordability and health-cost effects. In addition, however, economic inequality, gender…

The current study was funded by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, Project 53-054 Decision Making Integral to Relationship Transitions in Families. The perspectives presented in the paper do not represent views of the funding agency and errors remain the sole responsibility of the author. This article is a major revision of a…

Three models--the self-directed job information services, employability exploration and job development services, and intensive employability development services--were conceived to offer employment services to various types of applicants. The workability of these models was aided by the Job Bank and Job Information Service. The Job Bank is an…

Describes a study that aimed to examine the relationship between perceived skin color and self-esteem among Black third graders. Reports that self-esteem was found to be generally low among the children studied, but that skin color differences did not correlate with differences in self-esteem. (GC)

Examines the concentration of affluent households in metropolitan areas, considering the rate of concentrated affluence for the total population and for Blacks and Whites and racial differences in concentrated affluence. Variables measuring industry/occupation employment mix influence the rate of concentrated affluence through levels of income…

The "Closing the Achievement Gap" series explores the Casey Foundation's education investments and presents stories, results, and lessons learned. This publication provides an in-depth look at Foundation support of community schools, including selected results and lessons learned. It also includes stories about one California school…