While a quarter of all American students are enrolled in rural public schools, many rural teachers and administrators believe that education stakeholders are slow to fully recognize and address the unique challenges facing rural educators. This brief discusses recent steps taken by the federal government and individual states to address the concerns of rural teachers and administrators, and outlines questions policymakers should consider when exploring additional initiatives. The following capacity challenges highlighted by rural teachers and administrators are addressed: (1) Recruiting and retaining highly effective teachers; (2) Connectivity to technology and use of digital capacity; and (3) Effective teacher evaluation processes for rural school settings. In addition, the brief summarizes responses to the proposed legislation and provides considerations and recommendations for policymakers.