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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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Bangor Daily News, May 12, 2012: Early education cuts in state budget will force closures of some Head Start programs, say advocates
"Targeted for cuts are the Head Start program, child care subsidies for parents who are either working or continuing their education and funding for home visits for children in low-income families."
The Burlington Free Press, May 12, 2012: Keep the fun in kindergarten, expert says
"There's more to it, though. Almon's study of the topic leads her to believe that pre-schools and schools serving a high-poverty student population are leading the trend to reduce or eliminate play time. The intentions are good - to beef up academic programming for at risk children. But by pushing concepts before children are ready, it could sour them on learning and backfire, Almon said."
The New York Times, May 11, 2012: E-Mails Provide Inside Look at Mayor's Charter School Battle
"The e-mails show that in February 2010, Mr. Klein and several charter school advocates participated in a phone call with the board members of the Robin Hood Foundation, a nonprofit group that fights poverty. The first attempt by charter advocates to get the State Legislature raise the charter cap had failed miserably, and the main advocacy group pushing for the higher cap, Education Reform Now, needed money for a second attempt, which was ultimately successful."
The Herald, May 10, 2012: School choice' bill survives, faces tough battle in S.C. Senate
"The proposal also would give businesses and individuals a dollar-for-dollar tax credit if they contribute to organizations that would give scholarships to low-income or handicapped students. However, those tax credits could not exceed $25 million statewide in a given year."
The New York Times, May 10, 2012: (Op-Ed) Much Ado About Double or Nothing
"Congress has starved the Pell grant program, an educational lifeline for low-income families. This year Congress made it even tougher for poor students to qualify for the full Pell grant ($5,550, hardly a princely sum). This past academic year, families that made $32,000 or less automatically qualified for the maximum Pell grant, but for the coming year a household can make no more than $23,000 to qualify."
The Boston Globe, May 9, 2012: $11.6m grants go to Boston programs serving elders, homeless
"Three Boston organizations will receive $11.6 million from the federal government to expand programs focused on keeping sick seniors out of the hospital, improving the health of children with asthma, and connecting people who are homeless with better medical care."
Marketwatch, May 8, 2012: Some states get F' on supporting working families 18 states receive failing grades; California and Connecticut get A-
"While U.S. lawmakers pay lip service to the value of families, other major economies, such as Canada and Japan, have some form of paid parental leave. By contrast, U.S. law only calls for unpaid leave to support working parents an unrealistic option for families that depend on weekly wages, particularly when welcoming a new family member."
Chattanooga Times Free Press, May 8, 2012: Student joins Cleveland school board
"Cleveland Schools Director Martin Ringstaff said the city high school is seeking out students for advanced classes who may not traditionally have considered them, including minorities and those from low-income families."
Houston Chronicle, May 8, 2012: Student demographics change at some Texas schools
"Much of the state's enrollment increase is made up of children from low-income families, which could affect the state's future prosperity depending on how state leaders and legislators handle the new reality."
Bloomberg News, May 8, 2012: Romney Support Among Senior Citizens Transcends Medicare Stance
"The Republican's strength among seniors comes even though he has said he generally supports a plan put forward by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, that would gradually raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 from 65 and turn it into a voucher-like program where future seniors would receive subsidies to purchase health care on the open market."
The Daily Herald, May 8, 2012: Program helps dropouts build a better future
"YouthBuild provides on-the-job training, with the students helping to build single family homes for low-income families with Housing Hope. They also receive certification and class instruction from Edmonds Community College. The students get their GED through Everett Community College."
Herald News, May 8, 2012: Proposal to encourage construction of affordable housing in towns with top schools is backed by Gov. Christie
"The agency did not release the language of the proposal, but said it would cap the cost of projects eligible for the credit, and limit construction of affordable housing in high poverty areas. It would also reward developers for building houses or apartments for families who are now homeless. "
