Critiques Henry Levin's "Economics of Educational Choice" essay for confining discussion to a constrained, regulated voucher type of market system. Insists that public school/voucher systems involve significant welfare costs associated with tax collection and presents five other itemized responses to Levin. (four references) (MLH)

A Javits Grant Project of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools uncovers the strengths and gifts of traditionally underserved primary-level gifted children. The program design celebrates the multiple intelligences of children with economic disadvantage, limited English ability, or learning disabilities. (JDD)

Summarizes a national study to determine whether U.S. school children, particularly those in disadvantaged metropolitan districts, experienced negative repercussions from the decentralization of federal resources, a structural-adjustment type of policy. Results showed that federal disinvestment in education adversely affected children in the…

A study of school achievement and student-income data for 54 Wichita (Kansas) Public Schools over three years revealed six "breakthrough" elementary schools with above-average achievement and proportions of poor students. These schools shared three characteristics: positive school climate, smaller school size, and structural leadership…

Focuses on environmental issues that affect learning disabilities and provides a rationale for learning disabilities as a public health and economic-risk issue. The link between learning disabilities and poverty and the impact of low birth weight and lead poisoning are discussed. Action steps are provided. (CR)

How can high schools counteract deterrents to achievement that disadvantaged students face? "Project P-BLISS: Problem-Based Learning in the Social Sciences" presents "hidden" disadvantaged gifted students with a curriculum that first captures their interest and challenges them to realize their true potential. (MLH)

Asks three questions relating level of academic achievement and level of relative deprivation experienced by various groups of adolescents in Latvia to self-concept. Finds that while differences associated with differential achievement exist across a wide range of self-evaluation measures, the measures of deprivation did not show an equivalent…

Explains the importance of the "excellence with decency" concept for educators and the children and families they serve through a first-person account of one teacher's experience with National Coalition schools. This experience helped renew the teacher's faith in educational leaders' ability to help all children learn well and the public…

Studies the hypothesis that black youth delinquency is a rational response to present and future situations of intergenerational unemployment, underemployment, low-paying, and low-status occupations. Research from 57 New York state counties with high rates of black juvenile unemployment and other low-income variables compared to arrest rates…

Draws on ethnographic research to examine the effect of unsuitable housing for the long-term capacity of children to break out of poverty. Presents case studies of three young children (4 to 9 years old) to clarify the connections between housing, parental behavior and the children's sense of identity, trust, autonomy, competence and general…

This article discusses hallmarks that can help educators identify gifted potential in young children, especially those from culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. These hallmarks include: agency (the self in control of its environment), prospectivity (purposeful behavior seeking to accomplish goals) and affordance,…

Uses a new data set to consider the relative effectiveness of secondary schools in England and Wales. Once socioeconomic factors are considered, there is no evidence that students in Wales, whether taught in English or Welsh, do worse than their counterparts in England. Implications are discussed. (Contains 50 references.) (MLH)

Introduces three articles that assess the state of higher education history by turning away from the research university. Explains that the articles (1) focus on books that have influenced the historiography of religion, community colleges, and the poor and (2) discuss how recent research might change conceptions of higher education history. (CMK)

Examines how economic disadvantage explains race bias in college admissions and attendance, addressing the possibility of reaching racial diversity through economically-based affirmative action. Discusses the possible validity of admissions measures, noting that financial barriers to attendance exist even among public colleges and reporting…

The superintendent of schools in Providence, Rhode Island reflects on her own personal odyssey, asserting that society must expect more from poor and minority children. She discusses areas for focused effort, such as literacy. (EV)