Public schools in rural areas lag in equitable funding, early-childhood education programs, and career and workforce readiness.
A 50-state report by the Washington-based Rural School and Community Trust highlights the challenges that rural schools and districts continue to face, even as many of their students, on average, do as well on some national academic tests as their peers in more resourced suburban communities. Arizona, Alabama, South Carolina, and South Dakota are among the top states where rural education is in critical need of attention.
The researchers looked at student performance on national tests, graduation rates, state education spending, students taking the ACT, SAT, and Advanced Placement classes, and the demographic makeup of the rural student enrollment, including poverty levels, English-learner status, and students with disabilities.
