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"The biggest blow would be to education funding, with schools poised to lose millions of dollars for everything from nutrition programs for students from low-income families to teacher training. According to documents released by the governor's budget office, the largest reduction would come in the form of a $53 million cut to grants distributed to schools with a high percentage of students from low-income families. Schools use the money to beef up tutoring and other programs aimed at preventing students from dropping out."

"University of Maryland, Baltimore received close to $500,000 in federal funding to put toward health education programs for low-income families."

"Federal education officials are poised to reject California's self-styled bid to avoid the strict requirements of the No Child Left Behind law, which could lead to radical reforms at hundreds of low-income schools."

"Last month, Wisconsin was awarded $22.7 million from the federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge, one of five states to receive grants this year. But failure to avert the fiscal cliff would result in 8 percent cuts in Head Start and a portion of the funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, programs key to ensuring that low-income children have access to high-quality early education."

"Gov. Jerry Brown is pushing hard to overhaul California's convoluted school funding system. His plan has two major objectives: Give K-12 districts greater control over how they spend money, and send more dollars to impoverished students and English learners."

"Schools across Illinois have experienced a double whammy in recent years. As the number of homeless students continues to rise -- 22 percent during the past two years -- state and federal funding for homeless education has fallen 64 percent since peaking in 2009. With government support flat-lining, experts worry that cash-strapped schools won't have enough resources to meet the demands of the growing population."

"Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Senate Education Chairman Dan Patrick of Houston are proposing that Texas businesses be allowed to claim a franchise tax credit of up to 25 percent and direct it to nonprofit groups that would fund private school scholarships for low-income children."

"It is estimated that nationally, 61 percent of children from low-income families have no books at all in the home. Research from the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics shows that 64 percent of families whose incomes are at or above the poverty level read to their preschoolers on a daily basis compared to only 48 percent of families below the poverty level. This lack of daily engagement can have devastating results."

"There are 76 homeless students enrolled at the school, more than most other high schools in Dallas ISD. Mark Pierce, homeless liaison for Dallas ISD, wanted these kids to have everything they needed before the break - food, coats, bus passes - whatever it took so that they could come back after vacation."

"These students have spent the past several weeks learning about poverty, homelessness and hunger affecting people in Southeastern North Carolina. Now, by packing bag lunches to send to homeless shelters across the area, they're getting a chance to help."

"While both groups improved their odds of finishing college, the affluent improved much more, widening their sizable lead. Likely reasons include soaring incomes at the top and changes in family structure, which have left fewer low-income students with the support of two-parent homes. Neighborhoods have grown more segregated by class, leaving lower-income students increasingly concentrated in lower-quality schools."

"The grants signal implementation of the foundation's new 10-year strategic vision, which focuses on closing the achievement gap for low-income children, protecting the region's water quality, and making its creative community more vibrant."