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"The idea behind a course on poverty, Blair says, is to teach students to be more empathetic. A growing movement in higher education (and even in elementary and secondary schools), is pushing to engage students in understanding poverty. But can empathy for the poor be taught as a life skill, like freshman writing or biology 101?"

"A similar pattern has emerged in test scores and student achievement across not just this district, but urban districts across the country. Research shows that students from low-income households more often enter school already behind their counterparts. They can be one or two grades behind, meaning those students may need to grow a year and a half for every year they're in school to be on grade level by the end of third grade."

"Such a dilemma points to the need for a more comprehensive child-care policy to replace the inadequate patchwork of programs that has evolved. We funnel some money to low-income families for child care; that is an important support, particularly when we require parents to work or lose benefits. But funds are insufficient to meet the needs of all eligible families, and there are not enough child-care slots, especially during off-hours or for those who have erratic work schedules, as is the case for many low-wage workers."

"Since becoming law in 2010, the Affordable Care Act has been subject to a barrage of revisions and lawsuits designed to amend, improve or topple the controversial legislation -- depending on your point of view. During the past four years, more than 42 significant changes have been made to the ACA, according to the Galen Institute, a nonprofit health and tax policy research group. They include 24 changes made by President Obama, 16 passed by Congress and two by the U.S. Supreme Court. Hundreds of additional lawsuits are working their way through the courts, challenging key provisions of the law."

"Like trying to count the revolving number of people who sleep under freeways and in doorways, gauging the number of Bay Area students who are homeless isn't easy to pin down. But their numbers are on the rise in California and some Bay Area counties, according to a report released earlier this week by the California Homeless Youth Project. California's homeless student population grew from about 220,700 in 2011 to nearly 270,000 in 2013 -- or about 4 percent of all students -- double the national average."

"Now let's look to the future of Healthy Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, that's where its bad "side effects" can be found. It creates a third health care delivery system, in addition to the Medicaid Managed Care system and the federally facilitated exchanges. Small changes in income will send people from one system to the other, creating many opportunities for bureaucratic mischief that could interrupt their coverage. Starting in 2016, the Welfare Department will be able to charge Pennsylvanians living from 100 percent to 138 percent of the poverty level (for an individual that's an annual income of up to $16,105, and for a family of four that's an annual income of up to $32,913) 2 percent of their monthly income for coverage. That's a higher premium than any other state has sought to charge its low-income residents."

"Twenty-nine of 50 eligible schools in Vermont have chosen to participate in this program, according to the governor's office. The program is part of the federal Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, Concannon said. The 'Community Eligibility Provision' of that law has already been introduced in several states but this year opened to all 50 states. Schools qualify if they have a high number of children whose family income is 185 percent or less of the federal poverty level (for a family of four that means $23,850) and if they have a high percentage of children whose family income has been verified through another state or federal program, such as ReachUp or food stamps, Concannon said."

"This is a big deal because the Arkansas approach has been seen as the most likely model under which GOP-friendly states might eventually expand Medicaid. But the GAO report is a reminder that the economics of the Arkansas model might not work and that the private-option waiver might not be funded after three years. But the big challenges facing the Medicaid expansion don't only involve the private variation. The public version of the Medicaid expansion is about to hit its own funding wall starting in January when the Affordable Care Act's boost in funding for Medicaid primary care doctors expires."

"Oregon high schools made near-zero progress at getting more students prepared for college and careers last school year, according to test scores released Wednesday. Statewide, 30 percent of high school juniors failed the high school math test, 16 percent failed the reading test and 41 percent failed the writing test. Passing rates were essentially unchanged from the low levels achieved in 2013, and the wide gaps separating minority, low-income and limited-English students from the rest did not narrow."

"Thousands of public school children in Fresno County are homeless and living in hotels or motels, shelters, doubling up with family or on the street, according to a study released Wednesday. The situation is even worse in Los Angeles, which has the highest number of homeless students in the state. In Trinity County, the percentage of homeless children is highest and growing, the report said."

"Rather than simply expanding Medicaid - a program that sometimes essentially denies care to the poor because doctors avoid its low reimbursement rates - Corbett sought to reform it. Corbett's program seeks to provide coverage to an estimated 600,000 additional Pennsylvanians by offering them federal subsidies to purchase private insurance. This will reduce disruption for those whose incomes rise enough to no longer qualify for the program and likely provide better coverage overall."

"Roughly 100 students on Mesa's campus are registered as Homeless or Former Foster Youth. These students, who struggle to finance their basic needs along with their academic expenses, frequently find themselves living in their cars and showering at the gym."