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"Now remember that Muscogee Elementary, with 100 percent of its students on the free or reduced lunch program, has the most paddlings among elementary schools, and Baker Middle, at 91 percent, has the most among middle schools. The other schools that used corporal punishment most frequently were Eddy Middle (87 percent impoverished students) with 101 paddlings, Davis Elementary (94 percent) with 32 paddlings and Marshall Middle (90 percent) with 32 paddlings. In fact, every elementary and middle school that conducted one or more paddlings had at least 65 percent of its students classified as living in poverty."

"Next year, New Jersey will spend almost $650 million for preschool in the state's most disadvantaged districts, according to Gov. Chris Christie's proposed 2013-14 budget. About $570 million of those funds will go to the 31 urban districts, including Pleasantville, Vineland, Millville and Bridgeton, which offer full-day programs for all 3- and 4-year-olds as part of the state Surpeme Court's Abbott vs. Burke decision."

"Last year - in what was widely viewed as a bad year for early childhood education - the Missouri Legislature trimmed $14 million in funding for child care and preschool programs, mostly in last-minute deals to balance the budget. Blaylock said the cuts placed his preschool, CoCo's Kidz of St. Louis, in a lurch. The licensed center lost all of its 17 subsidized slots for infants and toddlers in low-income families."

"A handful of arts and cultural programs across the Valley are getting a boost. The Fresno Regional Foundation is granting $120,000 to nine organizations that enrich the Valley by providing high-quality and culturally relevant programs to the community [...] Youth Orchestras of Fresno has been awarded the largest grant of $50,000 to expand its after-school violin program in west Fresno. The program has shown promise in directly linking participation with improved literacy for low-income children."

"She also said that the Saver's Tax Credit, aimed at boosting the incentive for low-income people to put aside money for retirement, should be simplified and made refundable, meaning taxpayers would receive the value of the credit even if it results in a net refund from the government. The credit is underused now, not only because low-income people have little money to save but also because it provides little incentive to low-income people who already pay little in taxes."

"Senior Concerns in Thousand Oaks, a nonprofit that provides an adult day program for seniors with dementia and other special needs, recently was awarded a $150,000 grant from the Weingart Foundation. 'One area of particular interest to the Weingart Foundation is older adults,' said Andrea Gallagher, president of Senior Concerns, which has received grant funding from the foundation in the past. 'We are very delighted with this tremendous new grant.'...The money will help to maintain and sustain the nonprofit's core services, particularly those for low-income seniors, she said. It also will allow Senior Concerns to add programs for growth in coming years, she said."

"Local educators are pushing to expand and enrich preschools for low-income children this year after budget cuts have left Ventura County serving only half of eligible kids. A group of 100 parents, teachers and county officials met Thursday afternoon at an El Rio preschool to discuss the problem and what's being done to help."

"What sets the connector apart are its deviated routes,' which benefit riders who can't get to an established bus stop, Kinney said. It offers riders the option of scheduling a pickup at their house or another location. A reservation 24 hours ahead of time is required, and the route is limited to two deviations per hour within a half-mile of the regular route."

"Gov. Jerry Brown has thrown down a gauntlet to California legislators, challenging them to dramatically change the way schools are funded -- by giving more new money to districts with a high percentage of low-income and English learners than to other districts."

"Rebuilding Together Washington County, a nonprofit based out of Beaverton, will provide supplies and labor to reroof the Meekins' house and repair dry rot in the floor. The countywide organization fixes up houses for low-income homeowners, with a particular focus on elderly or disabled citizens, veterans or families with children."

"A solid majority of Californians support Gov. Jerry Brown's proposal to direct more funds to poor school districts and those with large enrollments of students learning English, according to a new poll."

"Sequestration already has forced cutbacks for the meals program that is a lifeline for some older residents. It will mean less money for our public schools with high percentages of low-income students. But it's Head Start that probably best illustrates the way we spend federal money, our generosity to older people and our stinginess to the young."