This Harvard Civil Rights Project report outlines serious challenges to the dream of equal opportunity for all students. Recent court decisions have made it more difficult to fight pressures for re-segregation -- blacks and Latino students are segregated more now than in the last four decades. The failure to address the challenges of growing student diversity is leading to a two-tiered educational system that isolates white students and disadvantages students of color.

Lisa Fitzhugh says Seattle should change its current plan-for-failure: increasing spending on prisons and cutting funding for schools. Schools need more funding to provide attention to individual needs and talents that help students succeed.

Lifetime costs in lost income, greater incarceration rates and greater reliance on public assistance make the costs of failure to graduate high. On the other hand, Ohio taxpayers can realize a lifetime net benefit of nearly $210,000 per high school graduate, a return of $11.62 for every $1 invested.

The "Rebound" program tracks down dropouts, gets them back in school with a better attitude, tailors a curriculum for each student and follows and encourages them every step of the way.

Adults who want to get their high school diploma got individual counseling on "drop-in day" in Ventura, California.

This three-year longitudinal study found an increase in academic achievement and positive youth development for participants in the program over nonparticipants. On February 20, 2009 the American Youth Policy Forum will explore what makes the Childrens Aid approach distinctive.

True Majority and US Action are leading a coalition for a recovery package that stabilizes financial institutions; guarantees quality, affordable health care; grants all children access to high quality education from early childhood through college; develops a clean energy economy and independence from fossil fuels and oil; tackles poverty and strengthens our nation's infrastructure.

As part of the 2007 reauthorization of Head Start, State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care established Zero to Three for children from birth to school entry. The ZERO TO THREE Policy Center and the National Governors Association's Center for Best Practices is hosting a webinar on January 29, 2009 at 2:00 pm EST on including a focus on infants and toddlers in State Advisory Councils on Early Childhood Education and Care.

In 2007, the Forum for Youth Investment released the first edition of this report comparing the purpose, history, structure, methodology, content and technical properties of different program observation tools to help individuals and systems make sound decisions. The second edition includes a new instrument and updated technical and practical information.

On February 6, 2009, experts will present the latest research on financial aid practices that support student enrollment and persistence, as well as recommendations for reforming federal student aid.