The National Center for Children in Poverty was initiated to strengthen programs and policies for the 5 million children under the age of 6 and their families who live in poverty in America. In this, address the director of the National Center for Children in Poverty summarizes some of the statistics on poverty in Texas and in the nation and outlines research-backed characteristics of education that are relevant to children at risk. Among these are the following: (1) the learning of a new language should be viewed as additive, not as a substitute for a native language; (2) teacher responsiveness is integral to learning; (3) standards and warmth are important components of teaching effectiveness; (4) parent involvement enhances the school environment; (5) shared decision-making at the school level can create an improved environment for teaching and learning; (6) teacher enablement is critical to improving schools; and (7) schools need to respond to family needs and working mothers. Examples of these factors in practice are cited. (13 references) (MLF)