Drawing on a contemporary construction of rurality, which acknowledges rural education amplified by technology, we capture two examples where online mathematics resources were used in a rural middle school setting. As such we examine issues and consider rural education access as it is changed with technology towards a more nuanced understanding of…

The rural setting is one that must be better understood because of the broader discussions of changing demographics, growing diversity, the need for economic development, and community engagement. Additional research is needed to understand the interconnection of rural spaces and teacher retention. The purpose of this study was to understand the…

Coaching is an increasingly popular and promising method of professional learning, but unfortunately, many teachers do not have access to high-quality coaching due to geographic and financial constraints. Technology offers an opportunity to increase access to coaching, especially for educators in isolated rural areas. Research shows video is…

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…

The close-knit, personal nature of small rural communities results in school and community operating as a single integrated social structure. Useful rural school improvement strategies must, therefore, address needs that are recognized by both the local school and the community and must operate in a style congruent with the local setting. Although…

Career Technical Education (CTE) can provide an on-ramp for rural learners to access meaningful, high-wage careers while simultaneously strengthening the talent pipeline to meet regional labor demand. Yet rural learners all too often face an uphill battle when it comes to accessing high-quality CTE. Scarce resources, limited regional employers and…

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…

The program described here shows how Extension can be a strong collaborative partner in a rural setting in improving the overall health of the community by organizing a three month "Biggest Loser" Weight Loss Challenge. A pre-and post-fitness assessment and bi-weekly weigh-ins were administered. Three healthy lifestyle educational…

This report, the first in the series, points out that, while urban families increasingly have access to a variety of school options--including charter schools--many rural families have just a single school option. There are numerous examples of rural charter schools that have done great things for students while also benefiting the larger…

This report describes the implementation of blended learning programs in Idaho, and three key takeaways are apparent: (1) Blended learning has a positive impact on teachers; (2) Self-pacing enables students to take ownership and achieve mastery; and (3) Teachers must prepare with comprehensive teacher training. The authors emphasize the need for…

A qualitative study exploring rural teacher perspectives on the impact of blended learning on students and teachers was conducted in Idaho during the Fall of 2013. Researchers from Northwest Nazarene University's DOCEO Center in partnership with Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) and the International Association for K-12 Online Learning…

The Idaho Rural Education Task Force was formed in July 2007 with the goal of proposing and examining solutions to challenges facing rural schools. The task force's work this year has focused on three areas: recruitment and retention of highly qualified teachers, funding shortages related to insurance costs and staff allowances, and the technology…

Certification records of 435 Idaho science teachers analyzed by school district size revealed significant differences: more physiology, earth science, and chemistry I teachers in largest districts had endorsements to teach assigned subjects; more earth science and chemistry I teachers in smallest districts had neither major nor minor in subjects…

Regular and special education teachers and support staff from a rural Idaho school district participated in developing school-based prereferral teams. Data collected over a five-year span identify number of students referred to prereferral teams, referred for special education assessment, and qualifying for special education services. Data…

Home schooling is one of the fastest growing educational options in the United States. In 1995, the National Home Education Research Institute reported the number of home-schooled children to be approximately 500,000 students, one percent of the total school-age population. Parents choose home schooling for various reasons including differences in…