‘Why Rural Matters’ conference held in downtown Chattanooga
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A ‘Why Rural Matters’ conference was held Thursday afternoon at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
It focused on the condition of rural education across the nation.
The ‘Why Rural Matters’ report was first published 24 years ago by the Rural School and Community Trust.
It was adopted in 2023 by the National Rural Education Association.
This year’s report examines how educational resources are being distributed nationwide.
It found that 9.5 million students are attending public schools in rural areas, which is more than one in seven students across the U.S.
Factors like socioeconomic status and diversity are just some of the things contributing to this report.
One of the lead academics explained how this is used across all states.
“One thing that’s probably really important for people to know about the report, is the ways that it gives really clear information about how schools are actually funded. Schools are funded in ratios of state dollars to local dollars, and that can lead to significant inequities from community to community,” Karen Eppley, PhD at Pennsylvania State University.
Staggering statistics are listed for each of the 50 states.
The report uses five gauges to describe the condition of rural education in each state.
- Importance of rural education
- Diversity of rural students and their families
- Educational Policy Context impacting rural schools and communities
- Educational Outcomes for rural students
- Access to Supports for Learning and Development of students in rural schools
Nearly one in seven rural students experience poverty, one in 15 lacks health insurance, and one in 10 has changed residence in the previous 12 months.
For a more detailed look at the report, visit NREA.net.
