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

2. The Future of Rural Education in the U.S. Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities 2

3. 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

4. Why Rural Matters 2013-14 4

5. A Caution About Averages: Example Using Poverty Rates in Rural New Jersey Rural New Jersey 19.4% Poverty Rate 5

6. A Caution About Averages: Example Using Poverty Rates in Rural New Jersey Millville65% Commercial Township51% Deerfield Township46% Lawrence Township45% Pemberton Township44% Overall poverty rate for rural NJ: 19.4% 6

7. Sample Indicator Results Percent Rural Mobility StatePercentRank Nevada21.0%1 Arizona18.4%2 Florida15.7%3 Colorado14.6%4 Hawaii14.4%5 Arkansas14.0%6 Rhode Island4.1%50 7

8. Sample Indicator Results Instructional Dollars per Transportation Dollars StateDollarsRank West Virginia$7.401 Illinois$8.472 Pennsylvania$8.503 Louisiana$8.784 New Jersey$8.855 Alaska$27.0849 8

9. Sample Indicator Results Rural Adult Unemployment Rate StatePercentRank Michigan10%1 South Carolina9.7%2 Alaska9.6%3 Florida9.0%4 California8.9%5 North Dakota2.9%50 9

10. Example State Page 10

11. 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

12. Rural Importance 12

13. 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 13

14. Student and Family Diversity 14

15. 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 FTE 15

16. Educational Policy Context 16

17. 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) 17

18. Educational Outcomes 18

19. 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 lunches 19

20. Socioeconomic Challenges 20

21. 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

22. Takeaway Messages Message #2: The rural student is changing. 22

23. 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

24. Takeaway Messages Message #3: Regardless of the measures used, the states with the highest rural education needs remain the same year after year. 24

25. Why Rural Matters: Priority Rankings Across Reports 2003 1. Mississippi 2. Alabama 3. Kentucky 4. North Dakota 5. South Dakota 2005 1. Mississippi 2. New Mexico 3. Kentucky 4. Louisiana 5. Alabama 2009 1. Alabama 2. Arizona 3. Mississippi 4. Oklahoma 5. New Mexico 2011-12 1. Mississippi 2. Alabama 3. Arizona 4. South Carolina 5. Louisiana 2013-14 1. Mississippi 2. Alabama 3. South Carolina 4. North Carolina 5. Arizona 2007 1. Mississippi 2. Alabama 3. Arizona 4. North Carolina 5. Oklahoma 25

26. 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. 26

27. Thank you! Dan Showalter (showaltd@ohio.edu)showaltd@ohio.edu Rob Mahaffey (robert.mahaffey@ruraledu.org)robert.mahaffey@ruraledu.org Rural School and Community Trust (www.ruraledu.org) 27