Poverty Rates for Kids in North Fork Districts Rise

School district poverty estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau last week range widely on the North Fork compared to each district, Suffolk County, New York State, and the nation. Though one thing is constant: They all rose.

Local statistics reveal that for those in the 5 to 17 age bracket,had a 13.5 poverty percent rate and had a 9.8 percent poverty rate last year, compared to 4.8 percent and 3.2 percent. Suffolk County experienced a 7 percent poverty rate compared to the 18.8 percent rate that New York State experienced in 2009, according to the data. According to the bureau, the poverty rate for children ages 5 to 17 in families rose in 295 counties and declined in 19 counties between 2007 and 2009. 

(See the chart below for complete local school district figures from the Census Bureau from 2005 to 2009.)

These school district estimates, produced for the U.S. Department of Education to implement provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, are available for the total population and are used as one of the criteria to allocate federal funds to local jurisdictions.

"The poverty rates don't surprise me," said Gary Bixhorn, Chief Operating Officer for Eastern Suffolk BOCES. "All the data we've looked at shows that Long Island is becoming poorer as we move forward."

Bixhorn emphasized that in order to compensate for these growing numbers, BOCES has expanded in the last five years into an array of services, drawing students into central locations and putting more services in schools.

"We now offer regional summer school programs rather than in one location," he said. "As times get tougher, people get more of a necessity to identify creative ways to cut costs. And I think we'll get more calls for assistance.

"Regionally, Long Island continues to drop in terms of income wealth," Bixhorn added. "And the way the state determines aid, property wealth overpowers income."

U.S. Census Bureau poverty rates for North Fork School Districts from 2005 - 2009, compared to county, state and national rates (in percents):

16.4