While there is a significant body of educational literature addressing the character and needs of rural communities in the Appalachian and southern regions of the US, there is a need for a better understanding of rural communities outside of this region. Existing literature focused on US rurality revolves around four main themes: the rural…

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. students attend rural schools. Researchers report that at least half of public schools are rural in 12 states (i.e., Montana, South Dakota, Vermont, North Dakota, Maine, Alaska, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Iowa, and Mississippi) (Showalter et al., 2019). Providing quality education to all rural students is a…

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. students attend rural schools. Researchers report that at least half of public schools are rural in 12 states (i.e., Montana, South Dakota, Vermont, North Dakota, Maine, Alaska, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Iowa, and Mississippi) (Showalter et al., 2019). Providing quality education to all rural students is a…

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. students attend rural schools. Researchers report that at least half of public schools are rural in 12 states (i.e., Montana, South Dakota, Vermont, North Dakota, Maine, Alaska, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Iowa, and Mississippi) (Showalter et al., 2019). Providing quality education to all rural students is a…

The Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) has been studying the four-day school week since 2015. Since then, the phenomenon of the four-day school week has spread into non-rural areas and interest appears to be growing. Given these apparent changes, the author wanted to know more about recent trends in the initiative. As districts continue…

In this descriptive and comparative study, we present results highlighting the complexity and scope of the challenges facing rural districts as they navigate the changing demographics of the students and families they serve. Rapid increases in the number and concentration of racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse students in rural areas…

Career Technical Education (CTE) teacher recruitment is a challenge that has dogged state CTE leaders for decades. According to a recent survey of State CTE Directors, 98 percent said that increasing access to industry experts is a high priority in their state. And 20.4 percent of rural districts with CTE teacher vacancies report that CTE…

One unique and critical element of Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways is that they offer learners exposure and access to authentic experiences inside and outside the classroom. For these opportunities to be guaranteed, industry must play a key role in the design, development and delivery of CTE pathways, including in rural communities. This…

Technical, academic and employability knowledge and skills are essential for youth and adults to be lifelong learners, informed citizens and prepared and adaptable members of the workforce. CTE imparts these skills through engaging, relevant hands-on learning, integrated with academics, for all students, including those living in rural settings…

Poverty has an effect on students, schools, and communities. Issues surrounding poverty interweave with education which affects student achievement. When educational development is not maximized, society pays the price in the forms of public health, crime, incarceration, resources, community involvement, and decisions made in the community.…

The purpose of this paper was to survey South Dakota school administrators and identify a set of professional traits and skills that K-12 school principals most value when they hire first-year teachers for their classrooms. The participants were elementary and secondary school principals across rural South Dakota. Eighty-four principals were sent…

There is no "typical" rural teacher. But wherever rural teachers are, they struggle against mighty forces, and they often struggle alone. This article provides a glimpse into the lives of three teachers in diverse, far-flung settings: Haralson County High School in northern Georgia, Red Cloud Indian School on the Pine Ridge Reservation…

With the growing demand for early childhood teachers, Teach For America (TFA) is helping college graduates become early childhood educators. This article reports how TFA trains college graduates to be prepared for the demands of early childhood classrooms. TFA, which was founded in 1990 by then-college student Wendy Kopp, has prepared 17,000…

Facing financial difficulties, the Webster County Public School System in rural Kentucky implemented a four-day school week to save money on transportation and staffing. The district's research in the experience of other rural districts had indicated that such a calendar change could increase efficiency and also yield some unexpected benefits.…

This brochure offers descriptions of three Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory (McREL) programs designed to improve elementary and secondary education in the midwestern United States. "Project ACCESS" helps students explore career options. "Decisions About Technology" helps increase learning opportunities through the…