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Rural Policy Matters: April 2013

Last Updated: April 16, 2013
 

The April 2013 issue of Rural Policy Matters features a story about a place-based youth leadership initiative in Trimble, Ohio; an announcement of the winners of the 2013 Global Teacher Fellowships; how sequestration will affect rural schools; the 2014 White House education budget; School Discipline News; Rural School Funding News; a graph; and more.

Facts and Figures: States That Spend More Than $7,000 on Instruction for Each Rural Student
Question: Which 10 states spend more than $7,000 on instruction per rural student?

Student Leadership on Historic Clock is Community Catalyst
Student engagement around a historic local clock is becoming a key part of a local community renaissance in Glouster, Ohio.

2013 Global Teacher Fellows Selected
Thirty-three rural and small town teachers from around the country will travel the world this summer.

Some Rural Schools Among First to Face Sequester Cuts
While most cuts in federal education spending forced by sequestration — the across-the-board federal spending cuts that went into effect in March — will occur in the 2013–14 school year, states and districts that receive funding through the Secure Rural Schools Act must return a portion of funding already received.

White House Education Budget Unveiled
The White House budget for fiscal year 2014 includes a 4.6% increase in discretionary federal education spending, most of which is in pre-kindergarten programs and competitive grants.

The April edition of School Discipline Policy covers major developments in winter 2012–13, during the period in which the RPM Special Report on School Violence temporarily replaced regular RPM features. These developments include a report on the presence of police in schools, which provides important perspective in the aftermath of the Newtown shootings. The articles also address the ongoing problem of school-to-prison pipeline.

Police in Schools Increase Arrests, According to Report on Discipline in Mississippi
Suspension rates are nine times higher in some Mississippi schools than the national average, entangling many children and youth in the criminal justice system for minor misbehaviors. But there’s no evidence that harsh discipline improves school safety.

U.S. Senate Subcommittee Holds Hearings On School-to-Prison Pipeline
Senate hearing is important federal acknowledgement of the school-to-prison pipeline crisis.

Office of Civil Rights Has Increased Its Enforcement Activity
A new report documents that the Office of Civil Rights has increased its enforcement and investigative activity and has expanded its involvement into issues it had not previously addressed, including sexual violence and bullying and harassment.

The April edition of Rural School Funding News covers major developments in winter 2012–13, during the period in which the RPM Special Report on School Violence temporarily replaced regular RPM features. The stories address state efforts to funnel public money to private schools and to cut back, sometimes drastically, on financial support for public education.

Federal Commission Highlights Funding as a Major Cause of Inequity Among Schools
A federal commission, of which Rural Trust President Doris Terry Williams is a member, recently issued their initial report, “For Each and Every Child.” The report recommends a variety of ways to improve equity in schools and opportunity in communities.

Louisiana Voucher Law Still in Courts
Governor Bobby Jindal’s voucher law prevents districts from complying with federal desegregation orders and violates the state constitution according to recent judgments. but those rulings are on appeal.

Kansas Court Rules State Violating Constitution in Education Funding Case
The three-judge panel’s decision has been met with a flurry of activity by legislators who oppose increasing funding to schools.

Arizona Court Says Annual Inflationary Increase for Schools Not Optional
Funding increases for schools will resume after an Arizona court says the legislature cannot pick and choose which elements to support.

Arkansas Court Decision Jeopardizes Lake View Funding Reforms
A decision by the Arkansas Supreme Court could open the door to actions that reduce education finance adequacy and equity in the state.

Enrollment in Dual Credit or AP/IB Courses, by Locale (2010–11)
Students in rural and small town schools are less likely to be enrolled in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses than their peers in other locales, but they are more likely to be enrolled in Dual Credit college courses.