Education Writers Association National Seminar May 18-20, 2014 Presenter: Dr. Dan Showalter, Rural School and Community Trust 1.

Education Writers Association

National SeminarMay 18-20, 2014

Presenter: Dr. Dan Showalter,Rural School and Community Trust

www.ruraledu.org

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The Future of Rural Education in the U.S.

Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities2

Why Rural Matters Report

• Every two years, beginning in 2001• Data• Definition of rural• Basic ranking concept• Content• Narrative• State pages• Gauge maps• Indicator charts 3

Why Rural Matters 2013-14

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A Caution About Averages: Example Using Poverty Rates in Rural New Jersey

Rural New Jersey19.4% Poverty Rate

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A Caution About Averages: Example Using Poverty Rates in Rural New Jersey

•Millville 65%• Commercial Township51%• Deerfield Township 46%• Lawrence Township 45%• Pemberton Township 44%

Overall poverty rate for rural NJ: 19.4%

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Sample Indicator ResultsPercent Rural Mobility

State Percent RankNevada 21.0% 1Arizona 18.4% 2Florida 15.7% 3Colorado 14.6% 4Hawaii 14.4% 5Arkansas 14.0% 6Rhode Island 4.1% 50

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Sample Indicator ResultsInstructional Dollars per Transportation Dollars

State Dollars RankWest Virginia $7.40 1Illinois $8.47 2Pennsylvania $8.50 3Louisiana $8.78 4New Jersey $8.85 5Alaska $27.08 49

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Sample Indicator ResultsRural Adult Unemployment Rate

State Percent RankMichigan 10% 1South Carolina 9.7% 2Alaska 9.6% 3Florida 9.0% 4California 8.9% 5North Dakota 2.9% 50

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Example State Page

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Importance Gauge

• Percent rural schools

• Percent small rural districts

• Percent rural students

• Number of rural students

• Percentage of state education funds to rural

districts 11

Rural Importance

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Student and Family Diversity Gauge

• Percent rural minority students

• Number of rural minority students

• Percent rural ELL students

• Percent rural IEP students

• Percent rural mobility

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Student and Family Diversity

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Educational Policy Context Gauge

• Rural instructional expenditures per pupil

• Ratio of instructional to transportation

expenditures

• Median organizational scale (x 100)

• State revenue to schools per local dollar

• Rural salary expenditures per instructional FTE15

Educational Policy Context

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Educational Outcomes Gauge

• Rural Grade 4 NAEP scores (math)

• Rural Grade 4 NAEP scores (reading)

• Rural Grade 8 NAEP scores (math)

• Rural Grade 8 NAEP scores (reading)

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Educational Outcomes

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Socioeconomic Challenges Gauge

• Percentage of rural adults with high school diploma

• Rural adult unemployment rate

• Rural median household income

• Percentage of rural students who are Title I eligible

• Percentage of rural students eligible for free or

reduced lunches19

Socioeconomic Challenges

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Takeaway Messages

•Message #1: The number of rural students in the U.S. is growing.

7,302,281 (2002)

8,522,506 (2005)

9,628,501 (2009)

9,765,385 (2011) 21

Takeaway Messages

•Message #2: The “rural student” is changing.

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Takeaway Messages

•Message #2: The “rural student” is changing.

- In the past decade, the number of rural Hispanic students more than doubled.

- Over 2.6 million rural students (26.7%) are from a minority population.

- The poverty rate among rural students has increased by over 10% since 2000. 23

Takeaway Messages

•Message #3: Regardless of the measures used, the states with the highest rural education needs remain the same year after year.

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Why Rural Matters: Priority Rankings Across Reports

20031. Mississippi2. Alabama3. Kentucky4. North Dakota5. South Dakota

20051. Mississippi2. New Mexico3. Kentucky4. Louisiana5. Alabama

20091. Alabama2. Arizona3. Mississippi4. Oklahoma5. New Mexico

2011-121. Mississippi2. Alabama3. Arizona4. South Carolina5. Louisiana

2013-141. Mississippi2. Alabama3. South Carolina4. North Carolina5. Arizona

20071. Mississippi2. Alabama3. Arizona4. North Carolina5. Oklahoma

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Takeaway Messages

•Message #4: Based on the available early childhood data, the future of rural education will grow even bleaker unless substantial intervention is taken.

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Thank you!

Dan Showalter (showaltd@ohio.edu)

Rob Mahaffey (robert.mahaffey@ruraledu.org)

Rural School and Community Trust (www.ruraledu.org)

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