This analysis was conducted by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and discusses the availability of federal tax credits for higher education for low-income students. Currently, low-income students who attend college face high costs of attendance even after taking into account governmental and institutional aid. In 2003-2004, 85 percent of undergraduates from families with incomes below $20,000 had unmet financial need.

From the Chapin Hall Center for Children, this report outlines child population trends and implications of these trends on services for families in Chicago. Authors identify Chicago neighborhoods with more children living in poverty and offer information on schools and programs that serve children in the city. Researchers provide data from the 1990s and also project population trends and service delivery up to the year 2010 for Chicago’s children.

The Government Accountability Office conducted this study on low-income and minority serving institutions- including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Alaska Native Serving Institutions, Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and other postsecondary institutions that serve low-income students. GAO examined the programs to determine how institutions used their Title III and Title V grants, what objectives and strategies the Department of Education has developed for these programs, and to what extent Education monitors the grants.

This study tests family homelessness based on patterns of public shelter use and examines whether family characteristics are associated with homelessness. It was found that 20% of homeless families are in shelters for longer periods, and some cycle in and out of shelters. The families with repeat stays have the highest rates of intensive behavioral health treatment, placement of children in foster care, disability, and unemployment.

This brief presents research findings from the SAMHSA 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and provides information on illicit drug use among youth. The Survey found that youth who did not participate in any extracurricular activities had higher rates of past month cigarette and illicit drug use than those who participated in 4 or more activities.

The child tax credit is the largest federal cash assistance program for children. In 2007, tax filers can claim a credit equal to 15 percent of the excess of earnings over $11,750, up to the $1,000 per child. Authors find that among working families, more than 30 percent of qualifying children under age 2 are in families with earnings too low to qualify for the full credit.

This report is from the National Center on Children in Poverty, and provides information on state policy choices surrounding early childhood policies. State polices regarding early childhood are affected by federal changes in programs such as Medicaid and the Child Care and Development Fund, and this leads to variance across the country.

This study was completed through the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, and explores how local management of TANF programs has adapted practices to address changing needs of the TANF population in the local areas. This study was conducted in five sites across the country, including Phoenix, Arizona; Macon, Georgia; Kansas City, Missouri; Newark, New Jersey and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Findings conclude that the implementation of TANF varies across the sites, and that programs will have upcoming changes in response to the Deficit Reduction Act.

The National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services authored this document on rural health and human services in the United States. This report examines the following key topics: Medicare Advantage, Head Start, and substance abuse. Findings confirm the difficulty of implementing human services in rural areas.

The Urban Institute reviews the affects of gentrification on the welfare of low-income families, and offers strategies for preserving housing in the neighborhoods. Such strategies include creating a market for rent options or insurance against rising rental costs, and offering financial instruments to insure builders, and preserve and increase the development of affordable housing.