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Find the latest stories, research, and insights on policies, programs, and ideas shaping the national conversation on poverty and economic mobility.
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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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The Washington Post, July 20, 2011: Improving school meals a priority
"And in the District, the 2010 D.C. Healthy Schools Act set strict standards for fat and sodium content and requires that 20 percent of produce come from the Mid-Atlantic region. In the high-poverty district, all schools must offer universal free breakfast."
The Cincinnati Enquirer, July 20, 2011: Ky. tries for grant to boost preschool programs
"Gross said Kentucky's current early-childhood program serves 23,000 students, including low-income 4-year-olds, and 3- and 4-year-olds who have developmental delays or disabilities regardless of family income."
The New York Times, July 20, 2011: Hurting Poor Students
"The State and Local Funding Flexibility Act would let school districts spend money earmarked for impoverished children on almost any educational purpose they chose. This would inevitably lead to money going from politically powerless poor schools to those without the same needs."
The Arizona Republic, July 19, 2011: Private K-12 school settles with state
"Joy Christian School officials did not return calls Monday. In the agreement, the private school did not admit to violating any laws but agreed to pay the following amounts: $30,000 for each of the next five years to help pay tuition for low-income students."
Asbury Park Press, July 19, 2011: School districts to decide today if extra aid will cut taxes
"The state expects most middle-class school districts to use the added funds to reduce property taxes. But the most impoverished districts will use the money for educational programs. Gov. Chris Christie said there was nothing he could do about the last-minute decisions."
The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 19, 2011: Program for pregnant students has unclear future
"Teachers took Fields to the school ELECT program, which helps pregnant students and young mothers stay in class and graduate. In November, Fields gave birth to a son. And in June, bolstered by parent training and academic tutoring, she accepted her diploma. Now the future of ELECT has grown hazy."
The Washington Post, July 19, 2011: Study exposes some myths about school discipline
"In a study of nearly a million Texas children described as an unprecedented look at discipline, researchers found that nearly identical schools suspended and expelled students at very different rates. The research showed that while some high-poverty schools suspended students at unexpectedly high rates, others with strikingly similar characteristics did not."
The Washington Post, July 19, 2011: Tired ... but not retired
"Nearly a decade after reaching retirement age and qualifying for Medicare, Johnson cannot afford to give up her job. Even with the paycheck it brings, her income is only a few notches above the federal poverty level."
The Associated Press, July 19, 2011: Study: LA charter schools see high teacher churn
"Teachers at charter high schools in high-poverty neighborhoods are particularly likely to leave their schools 40 percent as compared to about 18 percent in regular inner-city high schools, reported the study, which was to be presented to LAUSD officials Tuesday morning."
Newsday, July 19, 2011: Program provides children in homeless shelters with classroom essentials (Subscription Required)
"Toni's healthy appetite for school started when she received her first backpack last year for kindergarten - a necessity for the first day of school that her family, homeless and living in a Bronx shelter, could not afford. Through 'Operation Backpack' - a back-to-school donation drive - Toni was able to begin kindergarten 'like the rest of the kids,' said her mother, Venus Raymond, 38."
The New York Times, July 19, 2011: School Discipline Study Raises Fresh Questions
"'What we really need to do is go in to those districts and see if these really are choices being made,' Mr. Skiba said. 'We don't really know enough about the reasons for African-American and Latino over-representation in school discipline. We have enough data to show that it's more than just poverty and any greater misbehavior.'"
Monterey County Herald, July 16, 2011: A 'la glorious' day for a few fortunate seniors
"'I won't go into a lot of details about my background, or where I came from,' he said. 'I'll just say it was a lot harder being homeless. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to live in a place where I can afford to meet my obligations.'"
