This guide to coping with problems arising from the psychology and needs of disadvantaged youth examines the characteristics of the disadvantaged youth and especially his family background; the role of the counselor, including establishing rapport with the disadvantaged youth and testing and counseling him; educational and vocational counseling;…

This report presents information on the status of Hispanic children in Texas, with special emphasis on the comparative status of Hispanic children in counties along the Texas-Mexico border. Information was gathered from a literature review, state agencies, the 1990 decennial U.S. census, focus groups, and interviews. A demographic overview shows…

It has been acknowledged that children from poverty begin school missing many of the prerequisites for school success. The 1963 US initiative, Head Start, is the major federal program aimed at providing children in poverty the experiences necessary to start school on an equal footing with their same-age peers. This article uses data from the Early…

A quarter of children under age 6 are poor. Poverty has a multiple and cumulative effect on children, regardless of race, family structure, or parental education level. As part of the Children's Defense Fund's Costs of Child Poverty Research Project, this report shows the effects of poverty on children. The Children's Defense Fund's stated mission…

This paper addresses the myth of socioeconomic dissonance and its effects on the identification, assessment, placement, and instruction of African-American students with special needs. Socioeconomic status is seen to predetermine the academic success and survival of African-American students. The paper looks at the politics of "poverty,"…

In a county by county analysis, this report assesses the quality of life for Kentucky's children. Researchers developed a child quotient (CQ) based on 18 indicators: per capita income, children in poverty, women receiving inadequate prenatal care, infant deaths, teens giving birth, substandard dwellings, children in foster care, per-pupil…

This collection of papers examines the crisis in public education, focusing on poor and minority children. There are seven chapters in two parts. After "Introduction: Silenced Voices and Extraordinary Conversations" (Michelle Fine and Lois Weis), Part 1, "Scenes of Silencing," includes: (1) "Silencing and Nurturing Voice…

This paper explores the fatherhood experiences of young Chicanos from the perspective of a social insider, from the same ethnic background and neighborhood. This vantage point places the issue of teenage fatherhood for Chicanos within the context of contemporary urban culture as well as within the structural challenges that many minority and poor…

This report provides a comprehensive summary of the most recent data available from the National Assessment of Title I on the implementation of the Title I program and the academic performance of children in high poverty schools. Seven sections focus on: (1) "Policy Context for Title I" (provisions of the current Title I law and new…

Summarizes research concerning the characteristics of at-risk students. Available research clearly demonstrates that the single most consistent factor characterizing at-risk students is social class. Consequently, studies investigating the impact of social class on school success are also reviewed. Research leads to specific suggestions for…

This report includes an executive summary and describes results of a 1988 study of transition activities provided by public schools to enhance the continuity experienced by children as they move from preschool, day care, home, or other previous experience into kindergarten. Chapter 1 offers background information, including definitions of terms,…

This study of the educational attainments of students living in poverty was conducted in response to a resolution of the Virginia State Senate. Census counts of persons living below the poverty level, counts of students enrolled in free lunch programs, test scores, and two previous analyses of the achievement of Virginia students were used in the…

The relationship between success on proficiency tests and poverty has been widely discussed. This study explores the use of a neighborhood indicator of socioeconomic status based on school lunch participation of elementary school students in that neighborhood, and examines the relationship of poverty to success on a high school proficiency test in…

Transforming the welfare system presents governors with unique opportunities, hard choices, and creative challenges. Change will require continued commitment to welfare, educational reform, and economic development. Governors can improve the status of private citizens and private businesses. The Family Support Act of 1988 signaled major changes in…

This report seeks to identify and make policy recommendations concerning major urban issues confronting the Bush Administration. The Division of Urban Affairs of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) established working groups and commissioned papers on the following six key urban policy issues: (1)…