Critiques the criticism leveled at Milwaukee's (Wisconsin) four-year-old Parental Choice Program, a program designed to open private school choice through a voucher program. It discusses John Witte's reports which criticize the program and how these reports are flawed and inaccurate depictions of the program's progress and impact. (GLR)

In this interview, Jonathan Kozol, author of "Savage Inequalities," castigates proponents of school choice, shares his frustrations over some current educational trends, deplores President Bush's stinginess regarding educational funding, and speaks eloquently about our neglect of the poor. (MLH)

The study examined the participation in postsecondary educational programs of a representative sample of youth (n=1,242) with disabilities who had recently exited high school. This population participated in postsecondary programs at only one-quarter the rate of youth without disabilities and at only one-third the rate of economically…

The health problems caused by damp housing in Glasgow, Scotland, led to a grass-roots community action campaign that improved living conditions. A second step was preventive health measures and research into other causes of ill health in disadvantaged areas. (SK)

Lists candidates for National Head Start Association (NHSA) elected positions and announces four new awards sponsored by the NHSA. Recognizes the Missouri State Highway Patrol for its work with Head Start children. Presents a draft report on the NHSA Quality Initiative, a system designed to promote quality in Head Start and to provide challenges…

Argues that home visiting and related services have been shaped and constrained by the tendency to use services as a substitute for adequate income and economic opportunity, by ambivalent attitudes toward poor people, and by a preoccupation with the effects of poverty on child rearing. Proposes basic principles of practice that should guide early…

Discusses the need for citizen involvement to help restore and improve nutrition programs cut by the welfare reform bill. Describes various activities to offset government cutbacks and ease hunger in America. (YKH)

In Northern Ireland, 127 adults, largely unemployed and with negative past schooling experiences, participated in a personal and social development program. A six-month follow-up found the learner-centered methodology effective in enhancing self-esteem, motivation, social skills, community involvement, and participation in further education and…

Discusses the importance of mentoring programs for children, particularly for especially creative gifted children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. It describes characteristics for a successful mentor relationship and ways mentors can help in the expression and development of positive creativity in children. (CR)

In study 1, 34 Upward Bound students slightly enhanced career decision-making self-efficacy after 10 hours of career exploration. In study 2, 22 Upward Bound summer institute participants who received 5 weeks of career exploration had higher self-efficacy than 26 participants who did not. No differences in the number of occupations considered were…

Findings of an analysis of National Adult Literacy Survey data do not entirely support differences in cognitive skills as explanations for minorities' lower earnings and employment, nor occupational preferences as explanations for women's lower earnings and employment. Labor market discrimination and residential segregation also play a substantial…

Two preschool children, both of whom had displayed susceptibility to lures, were taught to prevent opportunities for abduction. Both children learned and demonstrated appropriate responses to lures in school and community settings, and follow-up measures at 64 weeks showed high levels of maintenance, although some retraining was required to…

Addresses the conflicting pressures facing plurilingual societies, focusing on (1) geopolitical changes such as language decline, international languages, and the pressures of globalization and the dominance of English; (2) access to or surrender of power; and (3) the choice of which language policy to pursue. (CMK)

Analyzes a student-loans scheme in Thailand to increase access of poor students, for example, to upper-secondary and postsecondary education. Finds average repayment ratio of loans is 10 percent or less. Recommends conversion of upper-secondary loans to grants and reforms in postsecondary loan procedures to improve repayment and recovery ratios.…

Examines the advantages and disadvantages of specialist schools in England. Concludes that specialist schools attain higher levels of student achievement at the cost of socioeconomic diversity, especially when these schools set their own admission criteria. Suggests ways for specialist schools to increase student diversity. (Contains 23…