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"Decades ago, poor children became known as 'disadvantaged' to soften the stigma of poverty. Then they were 'at-risk.' Now, a Washington lawmaker wants to replace those euphemisms with a new one, 'at hope.'"

"Forty percent of America's low-income people live in the South, and the region suffers the lowest educational achievement and attainment levels in the nation. And education attainment of its citizens in turn has a direct bearing on a state's financial health and well-being."

"Despite a student body dominated by groups that historically perform poorly on standardized tests - low-income students, Hispanics and English language-learners - Sacajawea made Adequate Yearly Progress in student performance two years in a row..."

"The earning potential for teachers also is better, with the labor bureau noting a `large increase' in education funding at the federal level, especially for the hiring of teachers in low-income areas"

"The Alliance for College Ready Schools, whose 16 schools south and east of downtown mostly serve low-income black and Latino students, use a strict and structured adherence to state curriculum standards."

"As of Jan. 1, more than 1 million low-income seniors are newly eligible for more generous prescription drug benefits under the 'extra help' program. Benefiting from a new law are those with life insurance policies and those who regularly get money from relatives..."

"Students can receive vaccines at their private doctors or at the Sedgwick County Health Department's community health clinics, which offer reduced-cost services for families with low incomes."

"The Legislature is now in final deliberations on a new education bill I filed last July that will close, once and for all, the pernicious achievement gaps that damage the lives of low-income, special needs and minority children."

"Experience during the years of entirely voluntary year-round schools shows that such schools... tend to become virtually all-white, which would mean that schools in low-income neighborhoods could veer toward becoming all-minority schools."

"The South has become the first region in the country where more than half of public school students are poor and more than half are members of minorities, according to a new report."

"State and federal lawmakers from around the country are pressing a variety of new laws that would make sweeping changes in the way runaways and prostituted children are handled by police officers and social workers."

"This is the sixth year that the program, started by Chris Lerch, owner of Home Instead Senior Care of San Antonio, has organized the distribution of gifts for homebound, isolated and low-income seniors, said Karen Freeman of Home Instead."