School-Age Children
Poverty and Diversity Challenge Schools Nationwide Gao ID: T-HEHS-94-125 March 16, 1994The face of school-age America is changing dramatically. As of 1990, one out of every six children lived in poverty and a rapidly growing number were from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Along with these changes, schools face additional problems--one-sixth of the nation's third-graders change schools frequently, attending at least three different schools since the beginning of first grade. Many school districts are also teaching large numbers of immigrant students, often with limited English proficiency. This testimony discusses the implications of these demographic characteristics for America's schools and for education policy.