Latest Coverage

"Forty-two percent of Oshkosh students now qualify for subsidized lunches, the main indicator of poverty among school children, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. That's a 4 percent increase over last year and a 6 percent increase from two years ago."

"Foster children have a rough go of it after leaving state care. Many go homeless or into poverty, and few make it through college. Mindful of that, Oregon legislators are considering a bill to allow state universities to waive tuition and fees for foster children."

"In the last six years, however, the number of children in grades P-12 classified as homeless - according to the federal definition used by schools - has jumped in Boone from 182 to 367, an increase of 102 percent."

"From the vantage point of a superintendent, with 35 years of experience in public education, I contend the governor is pursuing an agenda that is not beneficial to public education, not beneficial to the students who live in pockets of deep poverty..."

"It would cut food stamps by $127 billion, or 20 percent, over the next 10 years, almost certainly increasing hunger among the poor. It would cut Pell grants for all 9.4 million student recipients next year, removing as many as one million of them from the program altogether. It would remove more than 100,000 low-income children from Head Start, and slash job-training programs for the unemployed desperate to learn new skills."

"But instead of taking the standard deal to perform 12 hours of community service, Olive has joined the ranks of more than 30 other homeless people who are standing up to the city's anti-camping law by fighting their tickets in court."

"But agencies getting HUD grants generally don't charge for it. In fact, the agencies can't charge certain low-income borrowers, so it's unclear how those applicants will receive counseling unless the counseling agency eats the cost."

"Voucher advocates have long argued that if a student can use public money to attend any school, even a private one, schools will compete and improve. Some black leaders see vouchers as a way for poor students to escape failing urban schools."

"The Southern Poverty Law Center has threatened to file a federal complaint if Durham Public Schools doesn't curb discrimination that it alleges takes place against Latino students and their families."

"At the start of its budget process last fall, CMS opted to close 10 schools in low-income neighborhoods despite howls of protests. It never adequately explained the benefits, given the small savings involved."

"Sandra Warner, coordinator of early childhood education for West Chicago Elementary School District, told me that the district serves 80 at-risk students - mostly low-income, immigrant Latino kids - while the year before 342 students were enrolled."

Topic(s): Aging, Economic Opportunity, Health