San Juan, Piute and Ogden districts have most poverty

from the Salt Lake Tribune

By Lisa Rosetta
The Salt Lake Tribune

The San Juan, Piute and Ogden school districts had the state's highest percentage of children ages 5 through 17 living in poverty in 2005, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Wednesday.

Nearly a third, or about 31 percent, of children in the San Juan School District live in poverty, while about 22 percent and 21 percent of children in Piute and Ogden school districts live in poverty.

The seven-year average for 1999 through 2005, however, show San Juan, Salt Lake City and Piute school districts had the highest percentage of poor children in the state, at 23 percent, 20 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

McKell Withers, superintendent of the Salt Lake City School District, said the data are "a good, regular reminder of how important it is to try and break the cycle of poverty and invest in public schools and in community services" that can help toward that end.

The poverty estimates - based on the results of the Census Bureau's American Community Survey, as well as federal tax information and administrative records on food stamp participation - were released for each of the nation's almost 14,000 Title I-eligible school districts.

The data are produced in order for the U.S. Department of Education to implement provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and are among the criteria used to allocate federal Title I funds to local jurisdictions.

Withers said the data is sent to the state Office of Education, through which the federal government funnels the funding.

Title I funds, Withers said, are an important source of money for the state's poorest school districts, which use it to boost English, math and science programs by hiring additional staff and purchasing new books and materials.

In some of Utah's most destitute school districts, he said, more than 70 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.

"Poverty is absolutely a real issue in the city and state and country," Withers said, underscoring the need for children to get a good education.

The Census Bureau produces the poverty estimates annually. The next release is slated for December.
lrosetta@sltrib.com