The Journal of Children and Poverty, a publication of the Institute for Children and Poverty, is a scholarly forum for the presentation of research and policy initiatives in the areas of education, social services, health, and public policy. It seeks to promote intellectual debate and new ideas that will impact policy and practice in the field of child and family welfare. Following is a selection article abstracts for the March 2005 issue. In "No Child Left Behind: Leaving the Arts Behind in Developing Young Children's Literacy," Patricia T. Whitfield posits that the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 has inadvertently engendered literacy programs that are often inappropriate or incompatible with young children's development. Whitfield reminds us that young learners can learn best by using alternative symbol systems that match their "stronger intelligences." Premier among these "alternative symbol systems" are the arts. Her article addresses the issues associated with NCLB and the educational implications of its repudiation of the arts in the literacy development of young learners. Deanna L. Williamson and Fiona Salkie examine the development of impoverished pre-school children before and after the implementation of mandatory welfare-to-work initiatives in Canada, in their study "Welfare Reforms in Canada: Implications for the Well-Being of Pre-School Children in Poverty." The authors explore the relationships that impoverished families' income source and family income status have with pre-school children's school readiness. In sum, the study shows that by the end of the 1990s welfare reforms did not support the concurrent policy goal of improving the well-being of Canadian children in poverty. In "Child Survival, Poverty, and Labor in Africa," Kempe Ronald Hope, Sr. examines the harsh risks and hostile environments children in Africa face that severely limit their emotional, mental, physical, and social growth and development. He asserts that these limitations, in turn, significantly limit their prospects for childhood survival, increase their chances of having to enter into employment voluntarily or forcibly, and make them susceptible to poverty. Trends and contributory factors are discussed and an analytical assessment is offered with policy implications for mitigating the consequences of child mortality, poverty, and labor on the African continent. "Household Food Insecurity and Children's School Engagement" by Godwin Ashiabi uses data on 11,614 children (ages 6 through 11) from the 1999 National Survey of American Families to examine a model linking household food insecurity, child health, and emotional well-being to school engagement. The current edition of the Journal also continues our "From the Field" section. Its purpose is to highlight new child, family, or youth initiatives that are currently in their developmental and early implementation phase and address recurring problems in a fresh and innovative way. In this issue, Carole S. Rhodes, Lori Berman Wolf, and Greg J. Rhodes present their program "Professional Development Laboratory: Center for Literacy and Community Services." The authors developed the centers trying to address four pressing needs in the current urban school crisis: the preparation of in-service teachers to be literacy specialists, the dire need for qualified teachers in urban settings, the professional development of uncertified urban teachers, and the literacy needs of the children and families these teachers serve. The centers were housed in inner-city schools, and offered on-site in-service courses in order to enhance teachers' ability to help their students. By housing the centers in the schools, the program sought to reach students and families who might otherwise not be able to access these services. Finally, the issue contains an interview with Terry Cross, founder of the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), on American Indian children in poverty. Mr. Cross discusses living conditions, schooling, health, and societal problems among American Indian families, and outlines his concerns and hopes for the future. The Journal of Children and Poverty is a biannual publication produced in cooperation by the Institute for Children and Poverty and Taylor and Francis, Ltd. Subscribe to the Journal of Children and Poverty CALL FOR PAPERS: The Journal of Children & Poverty welcomes manuscripts for consideration which address issues surrounding children and families in poverty. Articles for publication may be from either an academic or practitioner perspective but should contribute to the current public policy debate. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. All submissions will be peer-reviewed. For publication guidelines, please contact: Managing Editor, JCP, 36 Cooper Square, 6th Floor, NY, NY 10003, or email Katrin Maier