To distinguish the homeless from the housed poor, 144 adults were randomly sampled from several sites and classified into 3 groups: the currently homeless, the previously homeless, and the never-homeless poor. The homeless group was less likely to be receiving public benefits and more likely to experience substance abuse and violence. (RJM)

The Card Connection: Business for Children project gives East Harlem elementary school children an understanding of economics. This greeting card business teaches math and communication skills, interview techniques, basic economics concepts, and salesmanship. Requirements include a minimal initial investment for materials and supplies, an…

Focuses on the plight of children living in poverty in the United States, and introduces a partial solution via integrated comprehensive school-linked services. The author describes why school-linked comprehensive services are needed, reveals the diminishing political commitment in addressing the problem, and explains how American Educational…

Evaluates the extent to which differences in the economic well-being of Latino and non-Latino white children reside in divergent parental work patterns and/or family living arrangement. Results indicate that group differences in family structure undermine efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic inequalities in children's economic well-being. (RJM)

Explores the problem of urban violence, and discusses a research strategy that can help to explain this phenomenon. The author contends that research might best address violence if it was designed to include variables of poverty and racism and was more inclusive of research from a broader range of scientific disciplines. (GR)

Examines changes in parental participation over a 2-year period in 10 accelerated Louisiana schools. At first, parents were unwelcome in nine of these schools. The most fundamental factor was changing teacher and administrator attitudes toward parents of poor children, which fostered the emergence of a more meaningful parent role. (13 references)…

Presents the "Strengths of Black Families" of R. B. Hill (1972) as a paradigm for understanding family behavior. Introduces the practice approach to these strengths in the work of E. Hall and G. King (1982) that is effective for developing family intervention strategies related to social and economic problems. (SLD)

Study examined why one school district required some children to take two years to reach first grade. Staff interviews, classroom observations, and demographic analysis indicated extra-yearing was implemented by a small, powerful few. More poor and fall-born children were placed in the program, which did not affect student achievement. (SM)

Project Promise, designed to provide leadership opportunities to middle school students from low socioeconomic environments, supplemented in-school curricular options with a home visitor. The home visitor served as a liaison between students' families and the school and assisted families in obtaining social services and information about career…

Forty-eight low socioeconomic status Israeli women were trained to optimize their infants' development through mediational strategies including increase in frequency of focusing, affecting, expanding, encouraging, and regulating behaviors. At three-year follow-up, maternal mediation behaviors were found to be related to specific children's…

The third part of William Clune's proposed strategy for reforming the states' role in supporting elementary and secondary education is the development of performance-oriented policies that focus resources on improving student achievement. This article discusses questions central to designing such policies, highlighting three areas: curricular…

Analysis of national survey data found that, compared to other family types, children living with both biological or both (original) adoptive parents had the best academic and behavioral outcomes. Economic disadvantage accounted for much of children's poor outcomes in single-mother families. Parental behaviors, particularly parental support, had…

A study of fatal and nonfatal interpersonal violence-related injuries over one year in a poor African-American community in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) reveals that violence-related injury is the most common injury type for persons aged 15-49 years. Results yield dramatic evidence of the extent of urban violence for adults and children. (SLD)

Discusses the Golden Rule Insurance Company's educational choice program which assists lower-income families in sending children to private/church schools. Identifies benefits (e.g., introduction of public school choice plan, and families' sense of control over future). Answers criticisms (e.g., destroying public school system, racial motivation,…

Describes value and discusses models of toy libraries, which enable children and their parents to borrow and play with a range of toys and specialized equipment that might not otherwise be accessible to them. Addresses staffing issues and library goals related to toy libraries, connections between toy libraries and curricula, and benefits of and…