Rural School and Community Trust Capitol Hill Briefing


Last Updated: November 11, 2009
 

Why Rural Matters 2009: State and Regional Challenges and Opportunities
 
Monday, November 16, 2009, 3:00-4:00pm EST, the Rural School and Community Trust will present a Capitol Hill briefing to discuss findings from its recent research report Why Rural Matters 2009. This biennial analysis is based on 25 statistical indicators regarding the current state of rural education, addresses key challenges and opportunities facing rural schools, school districts, and students, and provides a detailed overview for each of the 50 states. Presenters include report authors Marty Strange, Director of Policy, and Jerry Johnson, Policy Research and Analysis Manager.
 
The study concludes that rural students dealing with high poverty and socio-economic diversity perform lower on various educational outcomes, including lower graduation rates and lower scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, as well as on state tests mandated by No Child Left Behind. The report also offers implications and insights for policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels. A key finding is that education policies and improvement strategies should have a regional focus that is not limited by state borders.
 
U.S. Senate Visitor’s Center 201/200.
 
For questions and to RSVP contact: robert.mahaffey@ruraledu.org.

Click here to browse Why Rural Matters 2009.