Last May, author Mara Tieken attended graduation at a high school in a small, mostly African-American town in the rural Arkansas Delta. This school is not much to look at. But for this rural town, it is everything: close relationships, strong academics, the community’s hope and future. Across the United States are thousands of rural schools just like this one, which against all odds are trying to make it work—a challenge that has only grown with the current pandemic.
Challenges Facing Schools in Rural America
Also In this Issue
Identifying Risks to the Well-Being of Rural Young Children and Families
By Sara L. HartmanThe pandemic compounded an array of preexisting health and wellness challenges in many communities.
Teacher Recruitment and Retention in Rural Colorado
By Kirk BanghartRural districts band together, with help from partners and grants, to attract and keep teaching staff.
Colorado’s Network for Local Accountability
By Kirk BanghartA network of rural peers help districts design meaningful, timely, community-connected accountability.
Professional Learning in Appalachia
By Melissa Tooley and Sabia PrescottMicrocredentials show promise in overcoming the challenges of offering rural educators high-quality opportunities.
Challenges Facing Schools in Rural America
By Mara Casey Tieken and MK MontgomeryIn schools accustomed to making a little go a long way, the pandemic increased the burden.
Online Learning for Rural Students
By Reg LeichtyExpanded rural broadband service can help overcome inequitable access to digital instruction.
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