And that's the number that will be used by the federal government as one criterion to allocate federal funds, the Bureau says.
However, that total seems to have little or no correlation with the percentage of TISD children who receive free or reduced-price meals through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's school lunch program. A full 70 percent of TISD students are eligible to participate, Regina Corley, district public information director, said Tuesday.
In Central Texas, Waco ISD has the largest percentage of students in poverty - 30 percent. But, Cameron's rate was close at 27 percent.
In other Bell County districts, the rate was below that of Temple.
The Census Bureau data was released as part of the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates program. The Bureau says the information is more accurate than numbers from the American Community Survey.
The official poverty threshold this year for a family of four is an annual income of $22,050.
The USDA says children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level can receive free school meals. Reduced-price meals are available to those whose families make between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty threshold. (This year, 130 percent of the poverty level is $28,665 for a family of four, and 185 percent is $40,793.)
