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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 Asheville Citizen-Times, June 10, 2011: (Op-Ed) Don't cut Head Start
"The colors were brighter than any she had seen before. Shapes, letters, and lots and lots of colors adorned the walls. Around the room, children worked together building high rises with colored blocks and "reading" colorful picture books."
Reuters, June 9, 2011: Adding kids to summer mealtime
"The United States Department of Agriculture has made it easier for organizations to access funds to feed children in low-income areas during the summer, officials said on Tuesday."
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 8, 2011: Group rips tax credit scholarship program
"Critics charge it diverts public tax money to a program that has little to no accountability to taxpayers and has sidestepped its stated original objective of giving poor students the chance to escape low-performing schools and attend private schools."
The Chicago Tribune, June 9, 2011: Study: Preschool boosts low-income students
"A new study revealing the lasting impact of a solid preschool education especially in disadvantaged communities was released Thursday, just as Illinois' governor considers a state budget plan that slashes funding to early childhood programs."
The Associated Press, June 9, 2011: Preschool benefits last into adulthood, study says
"Preschool has surprisingly enduring benefits lasting well into adulthood, according to one of the biggest, longest follow-up studies of its kind. Better jobs, less drug abuse and fewer arrests are among advantages found in the study that tracked more than 1,000 low-income, mostly black Chicago kids for up to 25 years."
Newark Advocate, June 8, 2011: Students in progam get free computers
"LCCS members refurbish some of the computers, re-use some of the components and recycle the rest. The refurbished computers are available for a low fee to nonprofit organizations and individuals with a low income."
The Coloradoan, June 8, 2011: Pack2School program nixed after four decades
"After four decades, Education & Life Training Center in Fort Collins has discontinued its Pack2School program that provided backpacks and back-to-school supplies for about 1,000 low-income children in kindergarten through eighth grade."
Christian Science Monitor, June 7, 2011: 'Financial aid' curbs on for-profit colleges: Too lenient?""
"Financial aid dollars from the US government represents up to 90 percent of revenues of for-profit colleges. When the Department of Education laid down new conditions for financial aid access, the colleges' shares didn't tank. They soared on Wall Street."
Ottawa Citizen, June 7, 2011: More teacher time given to middle class kids: report
"Preschoolers as young as four are not only aware of class distinctions, they unknowingly perpetuate them. That's the conclusion of a new study in which the linguistic behaviour typical of upper middle-class kids - speaking to adults as equals, interrupting more, and "using their words" - was routinely rewarded in the classroom - usually at the expense of less economically-advantaged students."
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 6, 2011: Learning Curve; Coming from behind
"In its annual survey, the American Association of School Administrators found that districts nationwide expect to lay off 227,000 employees in 2011-12 due to shortfalls, 57 percent of whom will be teachers, 27 percent support personnel such as maintenance workers and custodians, and 6 percent administration."
Atlanta Constitution-Journal, June 6, 2011: RACE TO THE TOP; Ga. hiring team for teacher pay plan
"Saying it lacks the expertise internally, the Georgia Department of Education plans to spend $758,000 to bring in outside help to develop a system for evaluating teachers and administrators based on how their students perform academically."
The Republic, June 6, 2011: How to prepare for Medicare trouble
"It might be difficult to predict the exact changes that are coming to Medicare for future and perhaps current beneficiaries of what has become this country's largest financial problem."
