Showing papers on "Disadvantaged published in 1998"

Failing boys? : issues in gender and achievement

Abstract: Part 1 Boys' underachievement in context: schoolboy frictions - feminism and failing boys "a habit of healthy idleness" - boys' underachievement in historical perspective. Part 2 Different constructions of the debate and its under-currents: girls will be girls and boys will be first "zero tolerance", gender performance and school failure breaking out of the binary trap - boys' underachievement, schooling and gender relations real boys don't work - masculinities, "underachievements" and the harassment of sissies. Part 3 Boys, which boys?: loose canons - exploding the myth of the "black macho" lad boys' underachievement, special needs practices and equity. Part 4 Curriculum, assessment and the debate: language and gender - who, if anyone, is disadvantaged by what? gendered learning outside and inside the school -influences on achievement.

An Epidemiologic Profile of Children With Special Health Care Needs

Abstract: Objective. To present an epidemiologic profile of children with special health care needs using a new definition of the population developed by the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Methods. We operationalized the new definition using the recently released 1994 National Health Interview Survey on Disability. Estimates are based on 30 032 completed interviews for children Results. Eighteen percent of US children Conclusions. A substantial minority of US children were identified as having an existing special health care need using national survey data. Children with existing special health care needs are disproportionately poor and socially disadvantaged. Moreover, many of these children face significant barriers to health care.

Democracy and Decentralisation in South Asia and West Africa: Participation, Accountability and Performance

Abstract: This book is an in-depth empirical study of four Asian and African attempts to create democratic, decentralised local governments in the late 1980s and 1990s The case studies of Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Karnataka (India) and Bangladesh focus upon the enhancement of participation; accountability between people, politicians and bureaucrats; and, most importantly, on whether governmental performance actually improved in comparison with previous forms of administration The book is systematically comparative, and based upon extensive popular surveys and local field work It makes an important contribution to current debates in the development literature on whether 'good governance' and decentralisation can provide more responsive and effective services for the mass of the population - the poor and disadvantaged who live in the rural areas

Geographies of disability

Abstract: This book explains how space, place and mobility have shaped the experiences of disabled people both in the past and in contemporary societies. The key features of this insightful study include: * a critical appraisal of theories of disability and a new disability model * case studies to explore how the transition to capitalism disadvantaged disabled people * an exploration of the Western city and the policies of community care and accessibility regulation. Brendan Gleeson presents an important contribution to the major policy debates on disability in Western societies and offers new considerations for the broader debates on embodiment and space within Geography.

The financing of male– and female–owned businesses

Abstract: Whether female entrepreneurs are disadvantaged in financing their business has been an important policy theme within the gender and enterprise literature. The question has remained controversial, as different methodological approaches have yielded contradictory results. A particular challenge is how we can best move on from exploratory research to more rigorous methods needed to separate gender differences from other causative agents. This paper presents new data on the sources and uses of finance by male and female proprietors using data obtained from a customized academic survey of 600 (300 male–owned and 300 female–owned) British businesses, part of a 3–year study on the impact of gender and small business management. The results show quantifiable gender differences in certain areas of business financing, although intra–sectoral similarities demonstrate that gender is only one of a number of variables that affect the financing process.

Racial and Ethnic Preferences in College Admissions

Abstract: College admissions committees, not markets, ration access to many of the most selective U.S. colleges. As the labor market payoff to a college education has risen and competition for admission to elite universities has become more keen, racial preference in college admissions has become increasingly controversial, particularly at public institutions. In the spring of 1996 the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals dramatically narrowed the latitude to use race in determining admissions to colleges within its jurisdiction, and the Supreme Court subsequently refused to review this decision. The following fall, voters in California approved a proposal to end the use of racial and ethnic preferences in admissions to state institutions. A number of other states are also reconsidering the role of race and ethnicity in admissions and financial aid. Some will wait for the Supreme Court to clarify the legal issues at stake, but some may not.1 Because colleges shroud their admissions procedures in mystery, the public knows little about the extent to which racial preference is practiced. Even less is known about the impact of such preferences on the later careers of black and white youth. This Article explores these questions using data collected from the high school class of 1982. Part I uses the High School and Beyond (HSB) survey to analyze the importance of race to college admission decisions in the early 1980s. It shows that racial preference is confined to "elite" colleges and universities, namely, the most academically selective fifth of all four-year institutions, where scores

Race, Self-Employment, and Upward Mobility: An Illusive American Dream

Abstract: Race, Self-Employment, and Upward Mobility refutes conventional notions about entrepreneurship with a wealth of unimpeachable data. Timothy Bates finds that self-employment and upward mobility are open to those who are highly educated and skilled, often possessing significant personal financial resources. This is true among Asian Americans, African Americans, and everybody else, too. Asian immigrants are prominent in low-profit, high-risk small-scale inner-city retailing, Bates explains, because they are often pushed into it by poor English language skills and problems of credentialing-when they can secure other employment, they do so. African Americans, in contrast, who have the education, capital, and inclination to become entrepreneurs find better-paying opportunities and avoid ghetto shopkeeping. Bates compares black and Asian self-employment. He reviews who becomes self-employed, what factors encourage continuing self-employment, and how people escape unsuccessful self-employment. He addresses the place of entrepreneurship in upward mobility among disadvantaged persons and the role of government in assisting them. Bates's analysis is based largely on the massive Characteristics of Business Owners survey compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau, which provides nationwide information on small business success and survival patterns. This book is an important contribution to the economic and sociological literature on ethnic groups and labor. It belongs in all libraries with extensive holdings in economics and sociology. In paperback, it can be used in upper division and graduate level courses.

Protecting youth at work : health, safety, and development of working children and adolescents in the United States

Abstract: In Massachusetts, a 12-year-old girl delivering newspapers is killed when a car strikes her bicycle. In Los Angeles, a 14-year-old boy repeatedly falls asleep in class, exhausted from his evening job. Although children and adolescents may benefit from working, there may also be negative social effects and sometimes danger in their jobs. Protecting Youth at Work looks at what is known about work done by children and adolescents and the effects of that work on their physical and emotional health and social functioning. The committee recommends specific initiatives for legislators, regulators, researchers, and employers. This book provides historical perspective on working children and adolescents in America and explores the framework of child labor laws that govern that work. The committee presents a wide range of data and analysis on the scope of youth employment, factors that put children and adolescents at risk in the workplace, and the positive and negative effects of employment, including data on educational attainment and lifestyle choices. Protecting Youth at Work also includes discussions of special issues for minority and disadvantaged youth, young workers in agriculture, and children who work in family-owned businesses.

Factors affecting likelihood of applicants being offered a place in medical schools in the United Kingdom in 1996 and 1997: retrospective study

Abstract: Objective To assess the relation between a range of measures and the likelihood of applicants to medical schools in the United Kingdom being offered a place overall and at each medical school, with particular emphasis on ethnic minority applicants. Design Data provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service on 92 676 applications to medical schools from 18 943 candidates for admission in 1996 and 1997. Statistical analysis was by multiple logistic regression. Main outcome measures Receipt of a conditional or unconditional offer of a place at medical school. Results Eighteen separate measures were independently associated with the overall likelihood of receiving an offer. Applicants from ethnic minority groups were disadvantaged, as were male applicants, applicants applying late in the selection season, applicants making non-medical (so called insurance) choices, applicants requesting deferred entry (so called gap year), and applicants at further or higher education or sixth form colleges. Analysis at individual medical schools showed different patterns of measures that predicted offers. Not all schools disadvantaged applicants from ethnic minority groups and the effect was stable across the two years, suggesting structural differences in the process of selection. The degree of disadvantage did not relate to the proportion of applicants from ethnic minority groups. Conclusions The data released by the Council of Heads of Medical Schools allow a detailed analysis of the selection process at individual medical schools. The results suggest several areas in which some candidates are disadvantaged, in particular those from ethnic minority groups. Similar data in the future will allow monitoring of changes in selection processes.

The One Hundred-Year Debate: Social Reform versus Individual Treatment

Abstract: After 100 years, one would think that professional social workers would agree about the basic goal of the profession; yet any social work conference, journal, or even professional dialogue is still filled with disagreements about that goal We still hear "social work's basic treatment modality is clinical practice and its primary goal is individual treatment" versus "Social work's historic roots and major goal is social reform" The NASW Code of Ethics states that the goal of the profession of social work is "to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty A historic and defining feature of social work is the profession's focus on individual well-being in a social context and the well-being of society" (NASW, 1996, p 1) Thus, NASW provides an inclusive goal with a statement of focus on the disadvantaged That goal seems clear, comprehensive, and noncontroversial, right? Wrong Even given that professionally sanctioned goal, the debate within the profession about what skills, what target client group - indeed, what the goal of "treatment" is - continues to wage The debate continues even though the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) has strengthened the concepts and methods of advocacy and empowerment in its curriculum policy statement (CSWE, 1994) CSWE was as clear as NASW that this statement provided legitimization for social work educational programs to include or strengthen these elements - not to replace or diminish the focus on individual treatment through clinical methods This debate is still current and extremely critical in our profession as we approach the 21st century The elements of the debate often appear to highlight the mutually exclusive premises rather than focus on the inherent commonalties of purpose; the debate often views social work's breadth of methods and client systems as a weakness rather than as a strength Indeed, debaters can agree that the profession's mission is to train students to become experts in individual and social change and agree that the systems perspective is a unique and useful one to maintain, yet disagree because the debaters feel that the professional pursuit of both will diminish both (Abramovitz & Bardill, 1993) The controversial position explicated by Specht and Courtney (1995) in Unfaithful Angels raised the level of the debate within the profession several decibels as it continued this dialogue Although Jim Mickelson and I did not concur with all of their points, we agreed with their basic premise that social work may have lost sight of the public social services and the public arena as a legitimate place for social work intervention We noted in the preface to our third edition of Affecting Change: Social Workers in the Political Arena (Haynes & Mickelson, 1997) that, in 1997, it had been "20 years since we became angry at the profession for its 'dispassionate, objective, and apolitical stance'" (p xiii) We, like Specht and Courtney (1994), did not like the profession's silence in the political arena or its distance from its historic roots and commitment to public service And we did not like being labeled as "anti-clinical" or "anti-professional" for these views We only wanted to ensure that advocacy, empowerment, and public social services were included and valued However, we believed that the Specht and Courtney attack on our profession was, in some places, inaccurate or uncalled for This article is derived from the text of a speech I gave It was to have been the keynote speech given by Dr Harry Specht at the Texas NASW conference in November 1994 Unfortunately, Dr Specht became ill, and I was asked to step in I agreed to present Dr Specht's remarks if I could debate them His words are those written by him for this speech Permission to publish this speech was obtained from Dr …

TRIO and Upward Bound: History, Programs, and Issues-Past, Present, and Future

Abstract: This article briefly traces the history of the TRIO programs and provides evidence of their effectiveness in closing educational opportunity gaps in U.S. society. It also examines the criteria for participation in TRIO programs, focusing on the evolving definitions of educational disadvantagement relative to TRIO eligibility. In looking at TRIO's Upward Bound program specifically, the article presents a synopsis of over 30 years of research and program evaluations of this initiative, along with recommendations for improving Upward Bound's effectiveness. A HiSTORY OF THE TRIO PROGRAMS In August 1964, in the midst of his administration's "War on Poverty," President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act. This legislation gave rise to the Office of Economic Opportunity and its Special Programs for Students from Disadvantaged Backgrounds or, as they have since become more commonly known, the nation's TRIO programs. As part of this statute, the first TRIO initiative, Upward Bound, came into existence, followed soon thereafter by Talent Search, which was created by the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965. When the HEA was first reauthorized in 1968, it established TRIO's Student Support Services program and transferred all of TRIO from the Office of Economic Opportunity to the Office of Higher Education Programs. When the HEA was reauthorized in 1972, the fourth TRIO program, Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC), was created. The expansion of TRIO's reach and outreach continued in 1976 with the creation of the TRIO Staff and Leadership Training Authority (SLTA). The fifth TRIO program, the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, was created in 1986. Most recently, in 1990, the U.S. Department of Education created the Upward Bound Math/ Science Program, which is administered under the same regulations as other Upward Bound programs. TRIO Participation Criteria According to Wolanin (1996), the reauthorization of the HEA in 1980 was particularly important, politically and philosophically, for the adoption of two key concepts regarding eligibility for participation in TRIO programs. The first of these was consideration of students' status as the first in their families to pursue higher education (first-generation-college students or candidates). The second was consideration of students' prior performance. The first-generation-college criterion was important as a determinant of educational disadvantagement, Wolanin notes, because it shifted TRIO eligibility requirements in a more encompassing direction by looking at the origin and impact of nonfinancial barriers to access and success in postsecondary education. Politically, this new stance empowered TRIO advocates to build a comprehensive coalition in Congress, not just of elected officials whose constituents were poor people but of those whose constituents had been denied opportunities for or otherwise deterred from postsecondary education. Regarding the prior performance criterion, Wolanin maintains that it is "an even more important core concept of TRIO, both philosophically and politically" (p. 1). Philosophically, he contends, this focus means that TRIO programs are not demonstration programs; rather, they are "an integral part of student aid" (p. 1). Politically, Wolanin states, "prior performance has facilitated the development of an extensive cadre of experienced TRIO professionals who have gained a political sophistication and experience that has enabled them to become a nationwide network of people able to protect and expand TRIO" (p. 1). Much controversy has been generated over the past few decades about definitions of educational disadvantagement relative to TRIO program eligibility. The first group to evaluate Upward Bound, the Research Triangle Institute (RTI), was able to circumvent this controversy by selecting a definition that describes these individuals as members of groups that historically have been underrepresented in higher education and that are below national averages on educational indices (Kendrick & Thomas, 1970). …

The Evolution of Poverty and Inequality in Indian Villages

Abstract: Continued agricultural growth and diversification into nonagricultural activities are essential if India is to continue reducing rural poverty. But policymakers hoping to alleviate rural poverty must also be aware of the causes and implications of persisting, if not increasing, inequality within villages. Jayaraman and Lanjouw review longitudinal village studies from a variety of disciplinary perspectives to identify changes in living standards in rural India in recent decades. They scrutinize the main forces of economic change - agricultural intensification, changes in land relations, and occupational diversification - to explain changes in level and distribution of living standards in rural communities. These forces of economic change appear to have offset or at least mitigated the pressure that growing populations can place on existing resources. But the decline in rural poverty has been slow and irregular at best. Nor is poverty reduction only a matter of economic development. For instance, the rural poor often attribute much of the improvement in their living conditions to reduced dependence on patrons. There are few reports in village studies of particularly effective government policies aimed at reducing poverty. The long-term poor still tend to be from the disadvantaged castes and to live in households that rely on income from agricultural labor. There is little evidence that inequalities within village communities have declined. In some cases improved material well-being of rural households has led to greater social stratification rather than less, with women and members of the lower castes suffering the consequences. Such inequalities could limit how policy interventions or continued growth can reduce poverty further. Policymakers must ensure accountability to keep abuses - for example, the privileged classes directing all benefits to themselves - to a minimum. This paper - a product of Poverty and Human Resources, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to study the dynamics of poverty in the South Asia region.

Helping the Progress of Disadvantaged Students in Higher Education: The Federal Student Support Services Program

Abstract: Student Support Services (SSS) is one of the largest federal TRIO programs designed to help disadvantaged students stay in and complete college. Through a longitudinal study of participants and comparable non participants, we examined the impact of SSS on retention. Data were collected through student questionnaires, institutional and program data, and students’ postsecondary transcripts. We found that SSS had a positive impact for all three measures of retention that were used, but the impact varied depending on which services students used and how much they participated. The results confirm that retention programs should address both academic and social integration on campus.

Prevention and Intervention Strategies for Promoting Resilience in Disadvantaged Children

Abstract: This article addresses the emergence of a resilience‐based prevention practice perspective that focuses on positively affecting the development of disadvantaged, at‐risk children. Significant progress has been made in understanding risk and resilience processes; however, use of the field's advances in applied settings has lagged. The article will attempt to bridge this gap by reviewing relevant issues in program design, implementation, and evaluation from a resilience perspective. Risk and resilience dynamics are briefly highlighted to illuminate theoretical routes for promoting positive adaptation. Trends in constructing preventive programs are underscored, focusing on ecological routes to behavioral and environmental change. Finally, prevention and early intervention programs for disadvantaged children ages 3–9 illustrate issues in program conception and effectiveness. Methodological concerns in evaluation of these programs are discussed, and future recommendations are given.

The Role of Gender, Race, and Income on Park Use Constraints

Abstract: This study examined constraints to urban park use as effected by gender, race, and level of income. The multiple hierarchy stratification perspective, which views gender, race, and social class as potential sources of inequality, served as the theoretical framework for the study. In essence, this perspective views poor minority females as occupying the lowest end of the social stratification continuum, while upper income White males occupy the upper end of the continuum. The final research expectation was that income, race, and gender would collectively have a significant effect on park use, and therefore poor Black women would report significantly more constraint toward park use than would upper-class White men. The findings of this study did not support the multiple hierarchy perspective. In terms of management implications, the results of this study suggest leisure constraints do not concern merely one subgroup of society. However, leisure managers must seek ways to determine if there are subgroups within their jurisdiction tl1at are disadvantaged in terms of access to programs and services because of the effects of constraints on participation. In addition, management should be aware of the high level of fear of violence among women and recognize fear as a constraint during recreation program planning. Finally, fear of racial conflict was found as a constraining factor to park use. Therefore, leisure managers need to market services and programs that allow for racially integrated activities that may serve as a vehicle toward promoting racial harmony within leisure settings.

Title I Schoolwide Programs: A Synthesis of Findings From Recent Evaluation:

Abstract: Recent federal legislation, including the 1994 Improving America’s Schools Act, has enabled broad expansion of Title I schoolwide programs to over 8,000 schools across the nation. These regulatory changes are intended to reduce the historically fragmented or categorical character of title I programs and improve the effectiveness of entire schools rather than targeting services to meet the needs of the most disadvantaged subpopulations. Despite the dramatic increase in the number of schoolwide programs, there is little comprehensive information about them and their effectiveness relative to traditional Title I programming. This article presents a synthesis of what is known about Title I schoolwide programs, focusing on three aspects: characteristics of schools and districts implementing schoolwide programs, programmatic and organizational characteristics of schoolwide program schools and districts, and evidence of the effectiveness of schoolwide program schools, particularly in terms of student performance...

Visits to specialists under Medicare: socioeconomic advantage and access to care.

Abstract: This study examines the relationship between socioeconomic advantage and the likelihood of receiving specialty care in a nationally representative sample of older Americans participating in fee-for-service Medicare. In 1992, 62.9 percent of Americans aged 65 and older visited a specialist physician at least once. Being white, having more education, and having a higher income were each independently associated with a higher likelihood of visiting a specialist. Having insurance to supplement basic Medicare coverage was also independently associated with an increased likelihood of visiting a specialist; disadvantaged elders are less likely to have such supplemental insurance. Therefore, based both upon socioeconomic disadvantage and a lack of insurance to supplement the basic Medicare benefit, black, less educated and low-income elders are less likely to receive specialty services under fee-for-service Medicare. As the program evolves, it will be important to continue to monitor access to specialty care in vulnerable, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.

Juvenile Crime and Violence in Europe

Abstract: Since the early to mid-1980s, an increase in youth violence has been apparent in the United States and in ten European countries: England and Wales, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria, France, Denmark, Switzerland, and Poland. In most of these countries rates of youth violence have been increasing even though youth crime rates overall appear to be stable or declining slightly and even though crime rates of older people are not increasing. The principal victims of increased youth violence are male youths and young adults. These patterns are evident from official records, victim surveys, and self-report studies. A main cause appears to be that life in many European countries is shifting toward a "winner-loser culture" in which many disadvantaged youth appear fated to be losers. Countries vary considerably in the mix of law enforcement and prevention efforts undertaken to deal with increased youth violence.

Psychosocial factors associated with depression : A study of socially disadvantaged women with young children

Abstract: This study aims to use valid measures to a) estimate the prevalence of depressive disorder and b) identify psychosocial factors associated with depression in a sample of socially disadvantaged women with children. One hundred ninety-three women, recruited through a doorknock of public housing estates completed an interview that included the Diagnostic Interview Schedule to identify cases of depression and the Mannheim Interview for Social Support. The women also completed self-report questionnaires assessing psychological morbidity, life events, perceptions of intimate relationships, and personality factors. The 6-month prevalence of major depression was 17% and the lifetime prevalence 29%. Major depression was associated with perceptions of low parental care during childhood and low care from current partner, vulnerable personality style, increased reporting of life events, and an unsatisfactory social support network.

Contextual effects of prekindergarten classrooms for disadvantaged children on cognitive development: the case of Chapter 1.

Abstract: This study explores the effects of the social context of Chapter 1 prekindergarten classrooms on children's learning. Chapter 1 (also called Title I) is a federal government preschool program directed at children in lowincome schools who are at risk of later school failure. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) and a sample of 677 4-year-olds in 55 1990-1991 Chapter 1 prekindergarten classes in 5 states, the study explores factors that influence gains on the Preschool Inventory (PSI) over the preschool year. Social context is defined here mainly in terms of the cognitive and social composition of the classroom. Contextual factors defined in terms of demographics are shown to be related to learning, but the average cognitive level of the class is not. On average, children learn less in classrooms with high concentrations of minorities, children with special needs, recent immigrants, and children whose mothers have little education. The study explores differential effects of racial concentration on race differences in learning. Policy implications are discussed.

Matching the disadvantaged to job opportunities: structural explanations for the past successes of the Center for Employment Training

Abstract: The Center for Employment Training is generally acknowledged as an effective program for skills training and placing economically disadvantaged populations into entry-level jobs. Program success is explained by the ability to develop skills demanded by industry while becoming part of employers' own, trusted recruiting networks. These findings suggest the importance of social networks (connecting job seekers to employers) to the design of training programs.

Do public works programs work? Some unpleasant results from the East German experience

Abstract: We analyze the effectiveness of public works programs (PWP, Arbeitsbeschaffungsmasnahmen) in east Germany as measured by their effects on individual future reemployment probabilities in regular jobs. These are estimated by discrete hazard rate models on the basis of individual–level panel data. We account for unobserved individual heterogeneity in both the PWP participation and in the outcome equations. In the latter, we differentiate between transitions into "stable" and "unstable" employment after the PWP. We find that these programs seem to have no special targeting focus on disadvantaged groups in the labor market and that participants are, on average, worse off concerning their re–employment prospects in regular jobs than unemployed people who do not join such a program. A possible explanation for this result is that PWP participants search less intensively for a regular job while on such a program than unemployed non-participants. Thus, our results cast serious doubts on both the effectiveness and the equity aspects of public works programs in east Germany.

Curriculum Essentials: A Resource for Educators

Abstract: Each chapter begins with "Overview" and concludes with "Summary," "Suggested Readings," and "Endnotes." Table of Figures Preface. Using This Book. 1. Ideas About Curriculum. Dates of Significance. Definitions of Curriculum. Names to Know. Essential Books for Study. Annotated Bibliography. Ideas and Theories About Curriculum. 2. Models, Documents, Laws and Research. School Models. Important Documents. Critical Legal Rulings. Paradigms and Conceptual Models. Research Bases. 3. The Development Process. The Development Process. Criteria for Decisions. Role of Philosophy. Goals and Objectives. Standards. Curriculum Designs. Alignment, Maps, frameworks. Needs Assessments. Content Designs. Instructional Linkage. 4. Links for Curriculum Improvement. Leadership. Systems. Change. Management. Committees and Groups. Climates. Staff development. Evaluation. Technology. 5. Applications. Young Learners. Disadvantaged Learners. Preadolescent Learners. Exceptional Learners. Gifted or Talented Learners. Bilingual Learners. Adolescent Learners. Virtual and Home Schooled Learners. The Special Case of Inclusion. Postscript. Appendices. A. The Self-Taught Reader Bibliography B. Glossary of Common Terms C. Curriculum Development Resources D. Teaching Outlines Index.