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"Newark has long been on the unhappy end of many socioeconomic indexes, particularly those concerning youth. Thirty-five percent of its children live below the poverty line, more than three times the state average; 18 percent of them live in families where neither parent has a job; 71 percent are on Medicaid or the state equivalent (15 percent have no health coverage at all)."

"Money from the program has helped put new heaters in cold houses, replace leaky roofs on senior citizens' manufactured homes and install new septic systems in low-income rural communities. In New Castle County, funds flow to about 50 nonprofits that provide emergency utility assistance, child-care subsidies for the homeless and transportation for low-income seniors"

"When Carey Sommer entered foster care in California, he left his mom, his high school and his friends. Bounced from home to home, he changed high schools nine times until the disheartened teen finally dropped out."

"Keene Elementary School Principal Jerry Olinger said the school wasn't marked as a school of promise the past few years for not meeting academic levels but because of poverty levels. Olinger said it's just a sign of harsh economic times that the number of low-income students are going up."

"With last week's White House action bringing new attention to the student debt crisis, a Wonkblog reader passes along a helpful 2003 Tax Policy Center study that sheds light on why students are struggling with the cost of college."

CEP's Jack Jennings and Diplomas Now Doug Elmer, discuss new report on high school achievement

"Green Houses also have a lower vacancy rates than conventional nursing homes, and they accept patients on Medicare and Medicaid, making them an option for low-income elderly. On average, about 54 percent of Green House residents are on Medicaid, while the rest pay for the care privately."

"Illinois' latest standardized test results show that the achievement gap among elementary school students is narrowing, largely because of gains among black, special education and low-income students, the Illinois State Board of Education announced Monday."

"The Illinois state standardized test results released today show the gap in performance between different groups of students is narrowing at the elementary school level, particularly because of gains among African-American, special education and low-income students. "

"Given a student population that is 86 percent low-income and behind academically, it is shameful how long Chicago has carried on with a diminished schedule. Emanuel has gone after the longer-day prize in his signature, take-no-prisoners way."

"Two-thirds of schools failed to make increasingly difficult federal progress targets under the No Child Left Behind law. This year, to hit the target, 85 percent of a school's students - and subgroups such as special education or low-income students - had to pass their tests."

"What has changed in the past decade is there's a renewed public understanding that not graduating from high school has deeply negative consequences for the individual and the family, especially when it comes to escaping generational poverty and finding gainful employment with family-supporting wages,' Smith said."