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"Debby VanderWoude, director of the Tomlinson Adult Learning Center in St. Petersburg, says at least half her students won't be able to pay the fee or will have 'serious difficulty.' About half are new immigrants. Many are homeless or live well below the poverty level."

"According to an analysis by the city's Independent Budget Office, these schools have more poor children (63 percent versus 52 percent citywide), more homeless students (6 percent versus 4 percent), more special-education students (18 versus 12)."

"Each scholarship pays up to $4,250 for private elementary tuition and up to $5,000 for private high school tuition. Parents who are not low-income can pay remaining unpaid tuition."

"Harrell said the Breathing Association, the only area agency that provides free air conditioners to low-income residents with health problems, will provide units until the supply runs out. 'Last year, we gave out 800 air conditioners...' she said."

"Head Start is a federally funded program that serves 3- and 4-year-olds. Drake's program serves 888 children in 11 school districts throughout six counties. At least 90 percent of children in the program must be from families whose income is at the poverty level or below."

"As is the case nationally, there's a gap in Cobb between how students of different races and economic classes perform on standardized tests. Black students trail other racial groups on the SAT and their scores have declined since 2006 while the scores of white students have increased. "

"In this latest attempt to inject themselves into what should be a doctor-patient decision, some lawmakers tried to prevent low-income women from obtaining abortions when the fetuses had serious abnormalities."

"The public must have confidence in the school grading system, which is evolving away from reliance on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Lee Charter Academy was one of the district's showpieces for achievement with low-income minority students."

"She has come to adopt the party-line view of the most change-averse elements of the teachers' unions: There is no education crisis. Poverty is the real issue, not bad schools. We don't need fundamental reform; we mainly need to give teachers more money and job security."

"Several low-income schools that through the years have struggled for good grades and then improved fell once more. Carver Middle and Catalina, Richmond Heights, Washington Shores, Wheatley and Ridgewood Park elementary schools all got D's this year."

"In May, the state ordered the Don Bosco school to repay federal Title 1 funds spent in 2009 and 2010 in a way not allowed under its application. Title 1 covers extra services for students from low-income families."

"Charter schools are public schools that operate independently from local school committees. The Lynn academy is part of a nationwide network of 99 KIPP charter schools that share core principles and methods, including providing their mostly low-income students with a longer school day."