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"About seven out of 10 students from low-income families said their choice of college is influenced by concerns about affordability, compared to five in 10 students from higher-income families."

"Free and reduced-price meal counts are the commonly accepted method for determining poverty in public schools across the country, Nebraska Department of Education spokesman Betty Vandeventer said."

"'Normally it's much more difficult for a person who is older to find employment,' said Andrea Bridgewater, Michigan director for Experience Works Inc., a nonprofit that helps low-income older workers get training and secure jobs."

"Across the country, some policymakers have turned their focus away from class size reduction, arguing that it's too expensive and significant improvements are unattainable in the current budget climate, which already has school districts nationwide slashing jobs. "

"The fact is that since 1990 or so the U.S. job market has been characterized not by a general rise in the demand for skill, but by "hollowing out": both high-wage and low-wage employment have grown rapidly, but medium-wage jobs the kinds of jobs we count on to support a strong middle class have lagged behind."

"Districts are awarded Title I money on top of state funding to help close the achievement gap between disadvantaged students, such as children from low-income or migrant families, and other students."

"Gates seems to view our public schools as factories. If we hire the best supervisors, our factories will produce superior widgets. But our children are not widgets and their total educational experience cannot be quantified using standardized tests."

"Louisiana began a public preschool program - LA 4 - in 2001 to help prepare low-income children for kindergarten. Those students who don't meet the low-income requirements may pay tuition to attend the classes."

""The data is considered a proxy for poverty and for low-income kids in California," said Andy Krackov, assistant vice president of programs and partnerships for the Lucille Packard Foundation."

"The rallies came as grants to help low-income college students are threatened at the state and local level. In Congress, House Republicans proposed Friday to reduce the maximum Pell Grant by $845, to $4,705."

"As part of the civil rights probe of Wake, the U.S. Department of Education has asked for information on how many low-income students have been assigned in the past for socioeconomic diversity."

"The burdens of poverty are real, and overcoming those burdens takes hard work and resources. But poverty is not destiny. Hundreds of schools in high-poverty communities are closing achievement gaps."