Paying for care for children or adult dependents takes a large portion of many families' already limited budgets. Yet without such care, married-couple and single-parent families alike have difficulty entering or remaining in the labor force. The tax codes of the federal government and about half the states provide some assistance to families in…

Proposed levels of federal aid to college students and the national economic context are considered. Compared to fiscal year 1985 and 1986 budgets, the Reagan administration has requested $2.3 billion less in various financial aid programs. It has proposed legislation limiting federal grants, direct loans, or work study jobs to students from…