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Rural Policy Matters: February 2011
Last Updated: February 28, 2011
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Facts and Figures About States With Funding Parity in Rural School Districts
Question: In which ten states do funding levels vary the least between rural districts? In other words, in which states are rural schools most likely to have about the same amount of funding as other rural schools?
New Report Finds Consolidation More Likely to Yield Harm Than Benefit
A recent wave of research studies suggests that school and district consolidation has already proceeded beyond the point of a favorable cost-benefit ratio and is unlikely to yield fiscal or educational benefits. De-consolidation may be more likely to improve fiscal efficiency and educational services...
Rural Students Deserve Fairness
An article by Rural Trust Policy Director Marty Strange is featured in the March issue of Phi Delta Kappan magazine. Strange will also be interviewed in a free webinar on March 24th. Read more to learn how to access both the article and the webinar...
Rural Trust Signs Letter On Highly Qualified Teachers
The Rural Trust has joined a number of other organizations in expressing concern that a recent change in the law defining “highly qualified teachers” under No Child Left Behind will make it harder to ensure that students facing the most educational challenges get the best prepared and experienced teachers...
School Discipline: An Occasional Series on Developments in School Disciplinary Policies and Practices
Discipline cases in several states reveal thorny issues about students’ rights regarding search-and-seizure at school...
Alabama Schools Facing Lawsuit over Use of Pepper Spray
Students school sue over use of pepper spray by law enforcement officers...
Arizona High Court Refuses to Hold Student Criminally Liable
The Arizona Supreme Court rules that a student should be punished by school discipline procedures rather than by criminal laws...
Gang Activity Policies Addressed by Courts
Many schools have used alleged gang activity as a reason for suspending or expelling students. But in many cases school are not clear on what constitutes gang activity. Recently court decisions have found that schools must clarify their gang activity policies...
RSFN Special Series
Financing Rural Schools: Characteristics of Strong Rural School Finance Systems
Characteristic Eight: An Accurate Match of Resources to Needs. Making sure that students who have out-of-the-ordinary educational needs or characteristics get the support they need is a critical part of a strong school finance system...
Mississippi Communities Pushing Hard to Protect School Funding
Efforts of public education supporters to protect school funding are showing signs of success...
Changes to Arkansas Consolidation Law Proposed
Schools on an Arkansas “watch list” may get more time to resolve difficulties before facing mandated consolidation...
Iowa Debating Funding Solutions
A plan to shift school funding entirely to the state is breaking out along party lines in Iowa...
School Funding Interpretation Challenged as Arizona Legislators Cut Corporate Taxes
Arizona legislators face a lawsuit after reinterpreting the state’s school funding law, and a recent tax cut will likely further reduce revenues for schools...
Average Score for NAEP Science at Grade 4
This graph illustrates, by locale, the average score for National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Science at the Fourth-Grade level for 2009...
Related Tags: Rural Policy Matters Issue Index, Rural Trust Publication
