RICHMOND – Poverty is decreasing in area school districts, based on Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates published by the U.S. Census Bureau. Statewide in 2013, nearly 200,000 students lived in poverty. The number breaks down as 20.5%, or 192,099 students ages 5-17, living in poverty. The 2013 number compares to the most recent data available, 2019, when 15.9%, or 154,869 Missouri students, lived in poverty. In 2019, the total number of all students came to 974,094. The following is a breakdown of the percentage and number of students, ages 5 to 17, in area districts who live in poverty based on the latest years of calculation: • Richmond, 24.8%, or 407 students, lived in poverty in 2013 versus a substantial decline to 13.6%, or 204 students in 2019, out of a total of 1,497 students; • Excelsior Springs, 15.3%, or 478 students, lived in poverty in 2013 versus 14%, or 438 students in 2019 out of a total of 3,122 students; • Orrick, 20.3%, or 78 students, lived in poverty in 2013…