This article addresses the problems of racism, prejudice, and bigotry and how they restrain academic achievement in minority students and the need for leadership to confront and reverse these effects. Politics (suburban/urban differences in funding), technology (computer gap), and family income are three factors that impact differentially upon the…

This technical assistance handbook contains information on identifying Kentucky gifted students, including gifted students who live in rural areas or who are economically disadvantaged. Included in the handbook are: (1) recommendations for ensuring equity in the identification and assessment process; (2) a draft of a school district policy on…

Despite the commissions and politicians that decry the failures of public education, thousands of teachers, principals, and administrators struggle daily to provide children with an education that will open doors. This article examines some of these educators' efforts, which demonstrate that change and success are possible. Interviews were…

This report describes a program designed to encourage minority and financially, socially, or educationally disadvantaged incoming, freshman students to pursue health profession career goals. Sixteen at-risk students were selected to participate in a summer intervention program in West Virginia; a control group of 16 pre-medicine or pre-dentistry…

This report focuses on an effort by Los Angeles County to transform its welfare-to-work program, Greater Avenues for Independence (GAIN), from one that emphasized basic education to one focused on speedy entry into the work force. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the original program; reasons for a shift to a work-first model and description of…

Books in the Opposing Viewpoints Series present debates about current issues that can be used to teach critical reading and thinking skills. The opinions expressed in the selections in each series title examine many different aspects of a single issue. Detractors of the welfare system have long argued that the system promotes dependency. They…

Contributions to this book are based on presentations at a conference hosted by The Urban Institute in April 1994 to consider the challenges of achieving self-sufficiency for the nation's poor. Achieving long-term self-sufficiency for society's members is a fundamental social goal, but the problems involved, particularly those of finding enough…

This report presents results from the Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project (CCHIP), a research project that used survey techniques to document the extent of hunger among low-income families with at least one child under the age of 12. The report's six chapters provide: (1) an overview of the project, identifying its major components;…

To assess the status of hunger and homelessness in urban America during 1991, The U.S. Conference of Mayors surveyed 28 major cities whose mayors are members of its Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness. The survey sought information and estimates from each city on: (1) the demand for emergency food assistance and emergency shelter and the…

Since 1990, it has been possible to charge fees for all of Australia's Technical and Further Education (TAFE) courses. Although data can be extracted regarding TAFE enrollment patterns before and after the introduction of fees, detailed information about economically disadvantaged students cannot be obtained through the existing data collection…

A professional family life or youth development educator can function as a mentor to natural community leaders. The most important task of the professional educator may be to make the volunteers aware of how much they know and to encourage them to follow through on their own beliefs. Because of the limited emotional and spiritual energy available…

Assessment was studied in two accelerated schools, the Daniel Webster Elementary School in San Francisco (California) and the Fairbanks Elementary School in Springfield (Missouri) from October 1990 to March 1991. The accelerated schools movement for disadvantaged children began in the mid-1980s when researchers at Stanford University (California)…

This executive summary crystallizes the main themes of a study that is intended to help policymakers, advocates, community members, and welfare administrators create a welfare system to do more for children and do it better. The study was prompted by the Family Support Act of 1988. The following programs that have been successful in providing…

Researchers have investigated whether significant numbers of people can earn their way out of long-term poverty. Statistics show that between 1980 and 1986, the number of District of Columbia residents living in poverty increased by 8 percent. Between 1970 and 1980, the numbers of poor people living in the same area with other poor people…

The National Center for Children in Poverty is developing a series of issue briefs on children and welfare reform to help policymakers, community leaders, and advocates use the opportunities afforded by welfare changes in ways that are most likely to benefit both children and adults. This second issue brief focuses on the impact of federal and…