Troy poverty rate up 63 percent

Kenneth C. Crowe II, staff writer at the Albany Times Union, writes about the latest census data about poverty in the City of Troy and the rest of the Capital District:

The estimated number of Troy City School District children living in poverty jumped 63 percent — the greatest among the Capital Region's large urban districts — between 2007 and 2010 as the recession gripped the economy, according to data released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

At a time when schools face dwindling financial resources and pressures to hold down property taxes, districts are struggling to serve their neediest students.

"Obviously, we have to address the needs of the children. The way out of poverty is through education. We know we have to work harder to accomplish more,' said Troy Superintendent Brian F. Howard.

Double-digit poverty increases are typical for most local school districts as jobs have disappeared since 2007.

The rest of the article is here.