Federal policy changes for Head Start (HS) elevate the importance of measured academic performance over other traditional program aims, particularly those associated with the social-emotional development of children. Concerned about the possible effects of these changes on children, based on observations and interviews, detailed portraits of…

The birth of a child can be a simultaneously joyous and challenging time for families. Virtually all parents will struggle with the enormous physical and emotional demands of parenting a very young child, but for too many California families those challenges are additionally compounded by poverty, housing instability, lack of social support, or…

These "Stories From the Field" describe five Wallace-funded programs working to expand learning and enrichment for disadvantaged children, so they can benefit from the types of opportunities their wealthier counterparts have access to, from homework help to swimming classes. The report details each program's approach, successes and…

Poverty-related factors place children at higher risk for disabilities and also serve as barriers to families accessing services for their children and themselves. Early childhood practitioners can play a critical role in supporting families by providing services to overcome these obstacles and by working in partnership with specialized early…

The paper describes the identification, curriculum, and evaluation components of the Secondary School Experiential Learning Community, a program which currently serves 83 gifted but economically disadvantaged students at the Richmond (Virginia) Community High School. Personal, social, and academic program components are noted. The identification…

Forty-two teachers and supervisors, selected by the Texas Education Agency, participated in a 2-week workshop designed to provide an intensive study of the disadvantaged and to increase the effectiveness of teachers of culturally disadvantaged youth, primarily in the area of occupational training. Scholars in the fields of sociology and psychology…

This annotated bibliography, the fourth of a series of five reports of selected literature included in the ERIC system, carries a short review on the history and operation of the Neighborhood Youth Corps. The 21 items in the list have the following breakdown: (1) program descriptions; (2) characteristics of participants; (3) evaluation reports;…

This booklet briefly describes the activities of the Demonstration and Research Center for Early Education (DARCEE), including the basic philosophy of the DARCEE approach, the application of that philosophy in the classroom, the three different classroom training centers, the intervention program, and research and training programs. The purpose of…

To help future teachers understand how problems of poverty, abuse, and indifferent medical care affect children's learning, the elementary education faculty at SUNY-College at Oneonta (New York) instituted a new graduation requirement called "Early Field Experiences." Elementary education majors must complete 40 hours of field…

The activities and accomplishments of the Success for All program are described. Success for All is a school-based achievement-oriented program for disadvantaged students in prekindergarten through grade 5. The program is designed to prevent or intervene in the development of learning problems in the child's early years by effectively organizing…

In the face of extreme poverty and inequality in South Africa, community mobilization interventions represent an important way in which people can be empowered to improve their life. Successfully conducting community mobilization interventions in rural South African communities requires anticipating and addressing a number of potential barriers in…

This monograph, summarizing the ideas of participants attending a two-day mini-conference, provides educators with information on the relationship between the National Alliance of Business (NAB) and career education. This booklet begins with a section presenting background information on NAB and several standard NAB youth programs. The next…

A major objective of this collection is to involve researchers in a wide range of disciplines who share an interest in the long-term effects of early childhood education on poor children and their families. The book begins with a series of reviews that provide general overviews of research on the long-term effects of early childhood education. The…

"Udbhas," which means "expression," is a non-profit organization founded in 1988 to spread literacy and promote post-literacy education among the underprivileged children in the slums of Calcutta, India. This paper describes the creation, work, and benefits to children of Udbhas. The paper notes that most of the organization's…

Describes a qualitative research project examining homelessness's effects on children's schooling, highlighting a South Carolina intervention program's success. Research disclosed an informal homelessness "caste system," the political unpopularity of providing homeless services, homeless kids' high rates of academic failure and problem…