Episode Description:

Students in high-poverty school districts face more than academic pressure—they navigate daily risks of violence that impact their well-being and education. In Detroit, where students are disproportionately exposed to violent crime, the GOAL Line program offers a safe space after school, providing enrichment activities that foster learning, stability, and hope. In this episode, we explore how exposure to violence affects student success and highlight how community-driven solutions like the GOAL Line are making a difference.

What is Concentrated Poverty?

There are over 725 school districts in the U.S. where more than 30% of school aged children are living under the poverty line. Schools that serve these students are located in areas that tend to have higher exposure to violence, toxins, and limited access to healthcare.  These areas are designated as areas of concentrated poverty.

Episode Description:

In the small desert town of Calipatria, California, students face environmental challenges that threaten their health and academic success—poor air quality, toxic dust from the shrinking Salton Sea, and limited access to healthcare.

In this episode, we explore how Calipatria leveraged state funding to protect students from harmful toxins by implementing air quality monitoring programs and investing in a new community resilience hub. Featuring voices from local advocates, researchers, and policymakers, we examine how targeted school funding can break cycles of poverty and create healthier learning environments.

What is Concentrated Poverty?

There are over 725 school districts in the U.S. where more than 30% of school aged children are living under the poverty line. Schools that serve these students are located in areas that tend to have higher exposure to violence, toxins, and limited access to healthcare.  These areas are designated as areas of concentrated poverty. 

To learn more, visit ed-fund.org

Episode Description:

Warren City School District in northeastern Ohio faces significant healthcare challenges, with 45% of school-aged children living in poverty and a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) score of 60.7. Recent hospital closures in Trumbull County have worsened healthcare shortages, making access to medical care even more difficult for families. This episode explores how local high school leveraged funds to partner with Akron Children's Hospital to fund a new wellness and recreation center, ensuring students have access to preventive care and routine checkups despite the growing healthcare gaps in the region. 

What is Concentrated Poverty?

There are over 725 school districts in the U.S. where more than 30% of school aged children are living under the poverty line. Schools that serve these students are located in areas that tend to have higher exposure to violence, toxins, and limited access to healthcare.  These areas are designated as areas of concentrated poverty.

There are over 725 school districts in the U.S. where more than 30% of school aged children are living under the poverty line.

In this episode, Rebecca Sibilia, Executive Director of EdFund, and Tony Pipa, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center for Sustainable Development, discuss the harsh realities faced by students in areas of concentrated poverty. These schools are often located in neighborhoods with higher levels of violence, environmental toxins, and limited access to healthcare. The episode also introduces EdFund’s new Concentrated Poverty tool, which features research, toolkits, storytelling, and map visualizations that highlight the persistence of poverty in these districts, and how weighted student funding can help address some of these challenges.

Visit ed-fund.org and explore our Concentrated Poverty tool to learn more.