Rural Education

Building Communities: A coalition of groups concerned about rural education is pointing local leaders to school construction money they might not otherwise know existed. The federal funds—mostly in the form of loans that can be had at better-than-market terms—are intended to simultaneously fix up schools and build stronger communities.

The coalition, Organizations Concerned about Rural Education, based in Washington, kicked off its new project last month with three workshops in North Dakota hosted by the North Dakota Farmers Union. That group invited local leaders such as school board members, other elected officials, and heads of business and religious groups to half-day sessions in three parts of the state.

"We wanted to create an awareness of what programs are available," said Ken Astrup, who is the director of cooperative and education services for the farmers' union and the...