Report Analyzes Rural Education Policy in All 50 State

A new report from The Rural School and Community Trust examines the state of education in rural America. Why Rural Matters 2009 aims to assess rural communities in all 50 states using five critical indicators including the academic outcomes of rural students and the extent of concentrated poverty in rural school districts. The report finds that inaccurate assumptions about rural students often lead to ineffective state and federal aid programs. The report recommends a regional strategy instead of a state-level approach to improving schools in low-income, rural districts. Why Rural Matters is the fifth in a series of biennial reports analyzing the contexts and conditions of rural education. (Source: Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity)