The topic is coming out of the current unemployment and economic situation in our area and the growing number of students identified in the schools as eligible for free and reduced lunch. Many of these students will be new to the experience of economic hardship in their families and living situations. Teachers and school personnel will be challenged to create good learning environments for all the children in the class. We want to make the forum helpful to the pre-service and in-service teachers, undergrad and graduate students. This is one of the opportunities we have to assist teachers in developing cultural competence.