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Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity leads research and consulting initiatives that identify and address barriers to economic well-being.
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Bozeman Daily Chronicle, November 9, 2014: Bozeman schools eye preschool to help low-income kids
"Bozeman's public schools are gearing up to open a small preschool for 4-year-old as a pilot project this January -- even before Gov. Steve Bullock pitches his statewide preschool plan to the 2015 Legislature. School Superintendent Rob Watson will seek an informal blessing for the pilot project when the Bozeman School Board meets Monday night at Willson School. The discussion will begin at 5:30 p.m., a half hour earlier than usual."
$5 million gift to aid disadvantaged JCPS schools
"The University of Louisville's college of education has received a $5 million gift - its largest ever - to improve teaching and learning at five Louisville public schools that serve disadvantaged students. The Mary K. Oxley Foundation gift, announced Friday, will be paired with $2.5 million from the U of L Foundation to continue and expand education efforts of U of L's ���Signature Partnership Initiative,� which started in 2007 to aid western Louisville, including its students. The money will go to five Jefferson County Public Schools: The Academy @ Shawnee, Westport Middle and Atkinson, Cochran and Portland elementary schools, all of which have high student poverty rates, said Ann Larson, dean of the College of Education and Human Development."
Education Week, November 5, 2014: Study Gauges 'Risk Load' for High-Poverty Schools (Subscription Only)
"Poverty is not just a lack of money. It's a shorthand for a host of other problemsscanty dinners and crumbling housing projects, chronic illnesses, and depressed or angry parentsthat can interfere with a child's ability to learn. Educators and researchers in several of the nation's largest districts are trying to look at schools based on a fuller picture of children's experiences, rather than only seeing poverty as a label."
Greenville Online, November 5, 2014: Selective colleges not out of reach
"A study titled 'The Missing "One-Offs": The Hidden Supply of High-Achieving, Low Income Students' published in December 2012 found that only 34 percent of high-achieving high school seniors in the bottom quarter of the income distribution attended one of the country's 238 most selective colleges. Conversely, 78 percent of students in the highest income quartile enrolled in selective colleges. These statistics indicate that low-income students "under-match" in their college admissions. There are many causes for under-matching, the most pervasive being perceptions related to cost and financial aid, and exposure to and awareness of selective colleges."
WBOC, November 5, 2014: Nine Schools Exit Support Programs for Low-Income Schools
"The Delaware Department of Education says nine schools across the state are moving away from their labels as low-performing schools. According to the DOE, the schools are exiting state support programs used in low-performing schools."
The Huffington Post, November 4, 2014: (Blog) CFES Conference Aims to Share Best Practices for Guiding Low-Income Students Toward College
"On November 7-8, five hundred educators, corporate leaders, and students from across the country will gather for the 18th annual College For Every Student (CFES) National Conference in Burlington to share best practices and explore strategies for guiding low-income students toward college and career success. CFES supports 20,000 students through partnerships with 200 rural and urban K-12 schools and districts in 27 states and Ireland through its three high-impact and research-based practices."
The Huffington Post, November 4, 2014: (Blog) How to Help Low-Income Students Cross the Finish Line From College to Career
"For every 100 students from low-income families that start college, fewer than 8 will graduate and secure jobs. So, if our goal is to enable these young people to take charge of their futures, we need to move the finish line: college graduation is not the final destination--launching a career is."
NJ Biz, November 3, 2014: N.J. university ranks 2nd for low-income students
"Rowan University has been named the second best college in the nation for social mobility according to the Social Mobility Index, a joint project from CollegeNET and PayScale. The index takes information on the tuition and economic background of the student body and then compares them to graduation rate and median early career salary to find the colleges offering the best investment for low-income students. Glassboro-based Rowan came in just behind Montana Tech of the University of Montana."
Nation Swell, November 3, 2014: The Private School Education That Doesn't Cost a Dime
"Cristo Rey Columbus High School isn't like other schools. As part of the 28 schools forming the Cristo Rey network (founded in 1995 in Chicago by Jesuit priest John P. Foley), this Columbus, Ohio private school takes underprivileged kids and gives them the opportunity to learn and work professionally for free."
Santa Fe New Mexican, November 2, 2014: Report: Poverty alone doesn't hinder education in New Mexico
"According to a new Legislative Finance Committee report, poverty is no excuse when it comes to a child's ability to learn. But to succeed, leaders of high-poverty schools must effectively funnel financial resources into areas that need support, coordinate those services, help teachers and monitor student progress."
The Tribune-Review, November 1, 2014: (Op-Ed) The question of poor kids, education & income inequality
"If you want to address income inequality, fix higher education. That seems to be the current thinking in Washington, where President Obama has urged college administrators to better serve low-income students. Some colleges have been following that guidance. The University of Chicago has been praised for its new campaign to recruit low-income students a strategy that reduces the financial paperwork in the admissions process and guarantees low- and middle-income students summer employment while no longer expecting them to work during the academic year."
KRQE News, November 2, 2014: Study: Teacher shortage in poor NM schools
"New Mexico's high-poverty schools are in dire need of hiring more teachers, according to a new legislative study. A Legislative Finance Committee report released Thursday said a "new approach" that includes better incentives and hiring decisions is crucial to get more effective teachers, the Albuquerque Journal reported. The study looked at education strategies in 15 schools around the state that are considered low-income and academically behind."
