North Carolina is one of only two states to rank in the top ten on both absolute and percentage rural student enrollment. More than 45% of all North Carolina’s students attend rural schools; however, less than 3% attend schools in small districts and rural schools and districts are the second largest in the nation. Schools serve an impoverished student population, as well as the third largest minority student population in the nation. Per pupil instructional expenditures are among the lowest in the U.S. Reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress are also among the nation’s lowest, and fewer than 64 of every 100 students earn a high school diploma in four years--better than only five other states. North Carolina ranks fourth overall in need of rural education attention and improvement.