Title: Poverty and School Funding: Why Low-Income Students Often Suffer - The Edvocate
Headings: 
Poverty and School Funding: Why Low-Income Students Often Suffer
By Matthew Lynch
Low-Income Students Hardest Hit
Not Just a Student Problem
Matthew Lynch

Content: Property taxes pay much of public education costs and that revenue source is still low. Overall, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that districts collected just over 2 percent lower on property taxes ending in March than in the year before. Furthering the problem is the fact that while states have been cut throat in reducing spending, they have not been as vigilant in raising revenue sources through taxes and fees. Not Just a Student Problem
Less state spending on education certainly affects the learning experience but it also impacts other areas of the economy. Unemployed teachers and administrators have less to pump back into the economy and the viscous cycle of K-12 underfunding is furthered. While unemployment is a factor in poverty for some, there are many who are employed and still live below the poverty line. A higher level of education is needed for high paying jobs that can support a family. It is difficult to support a family with a minimum wage job, even when working full-time. The conundrum is furthered when school funding is diminishing—removing one more source of hope for ending the cycle. Children living in poverty often come to school without having had enough sleep, and without having had breakfast.