Federal Education Policy

Limited access to advanced coursework, medical care, food and employment opportunities continue to daunt students in many rural communities, according to a report released today by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, and The Rural School and Community Trust.
Date:
November 16, 2017
Related Categories:
Administrator,
Community Advocate,
Elected Official/Staff,
Media,
Networks/Groups,
Parent,
Policy Maker,
Publications,
Resource Center,
What's New
Related Tags:
AASA,
Education Policy and Activism,
Facilities,
Federal Education Policy,
Federal Policy,
Income Related Issues,
K-12,
Rural Education Policy,
School Finance/Funding,
School Location
Critical investments in preschool, K-12 and higher education are among the highlights of the Department of Education's 2016 budget request.
Date:
February 22, 2015
Related Categories:
Administrator,
Capacity Building,
Collaborations,
Community Advocate,
Elected Official/Staff,
Funding/Grants/Scholarships,
Media,
Parent,
Policy Maker,
Student,
Teacher,
What's New
Related Tags:
Achievement Gap,
All States,
College/University,
Disabilities,
Early Childhood,
Elementary and Secondary Education Act,
English Language Learners (ELL),
Federal Education Policy,
Federal Programs,
Income Related Issues,
K-12,
Minority Students,
Poverty,
Pre-K and Kindergarden,
Teacher Issues,
Title I,
Youth
Politically charged fights over teacher tenure, contract negotiations, and testing rage on in states and at the federal level.
Date:
September 24, 2014
Related Categories:
Administrator,
In Local News,
Media,
Networks/Groups,
Parent,
Policy Maker,
Rural Policy Matters,
Teacher
Related Tags:
Federal Education Policy,
No Child Left Behind,
Teacher Issues
A high-achieving state stands up to the federal law that deems its schools “low performing.”
America’s relationship with its rural areas is complicated. But taking rural characteristics into account can make schools and communities better, not just for rural students and residents but for everyone. In this first installment in the
RPM series “Rural Matters: The Implications of Rural Characteristics for Public Policy,”
we explore meaning in the many definitions of rural.
Date:
November 21, 2013
Related Categories:
Administrator,
Community Advocate,
Elected Official/Staff,
Media,
Networks/Groups,
Parent,
Policy Maker,
Rural Policy Matters,
Student,
Teacher
Related Tags:
Federal Education Policy,
School Location

On April 15, 2013, the Leadership Conference Education Fund released their report,
“Reversing the Rising Tide of Inequality: Achieving Educational Equity for Each and Every Child,” – a call to action to provide each and every child the education she or he deserves.
A federal commission, of which Rural Trust President Doris Terry Williams is a member, recently issued their initial report, "For Each and Every Child." The report recommends a variety of ways to improve equity in schools and opportunity in communities.
Date:
April 11, 2013
Related Categories:
Administrator,
Community Advocate,
Elected Official/Staff,
Media,
Networks/Groups,
Parent,
Policy Maker,
Rural Policy Matters,
Student,
Teacher
Related Tags:
Accountability,
Early Childhood,
Federal Education Policy,
Poverty,
Rural School Funding News,
School Finance/Funding,
Teacher Issues
Read this section for a brief summary and analysis of the context for reducing violence in American schools.
Date:
March 27, 2013
Related Categories:
Administrator,
Community Advocate,
Elected Official/Staff,
Media,
Networks/Groups,
Parent,
Place-Based Learning,
Policy Maker,
Rural Policy Matters,
Student,
Teacher
Related Tags:
Accountability,
Class Size,
Consolidation,
Discipline,
Federal Education Policy,
Place-based Learning,
Violence

On February 19, 2013, the Co-chairs of the Equity and Excellence commission presented their report to Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. The Commission's report,
“For Each and Every Child,” highlights the need to eliminate
“education disparities affecting millions of underserved and disadvantaged students.” Rural Trust Executive Director and Capacity Building Director, Dr. Doris Terry Williams was appointed to the Commission in 2011.
A new study argues that most current school reforms are unlikely to improve education and may weaken student performance, school climate, and communities. It argues instead for sustained investment in high-poverty schools, support for teachers, and authentic engagement of parents and communities in the development of reforms.
The U.S. Department of Education announced a new initiative of the White House Rural Council: online community of practice group for rural schools.
Race to the Top guidelines announced late last month prioritize programs that build relationships between students and teachers at the classroom level.
Several federal initiatives have made place a key concept. A report released this month describes some of these initiatives. RPM provides interpretation and a rural perspective.
Date:
June 26, 2012
Related Categories:
Administrator,
Community Advocate,
Elected Official/Staff,
Networks/Groups,
Parent,
Place-Based Learning,
Policy Maker,
Rural Policy Matters
Related Tags:
Federal Education Policy,
Place-based Learning,
School-Community Partnerships
U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee does not advance All Children are Equal Act, but important groundwork was laid to move ahead.
The House Education and Workforce Committee will be considering adoption of the ACE Act on February 28...
A new wave of legislation advocating the creation of charter schools uses arguments that run counter to those often used to close small schools and districts. Both policies raise complicated questions of equity and opportunity.
Most states have indicated they plan to apply in February for waivers of many No Child Left Behind provisions, but Montana announced this month that it sees the waiver provisions as inappropriate to state conditions.
The bill to end discrimination in the way Title I funding is distributed has gained two more sponsors, continues to attract attention
A recent report from the U.S. Department of Education finds that many school districts spend less state and local funds per-pupil in their Title I and highest-poverty schools than in schools with lower rates of student poverty.
School districts have new federal guidance for voluntary approaches to achieving diversity and avoiding racial isolation in schools.
A federal court has temporarily blocked portions of Alabama’s new immigration law, including requirements that schools report the immigration status of all newly enrolling students and their parents.
A Rural Trust analysis of rural i3 proposals that earned almost enough points to receive funding finds that the paucity of research and evaluation on rural schools may have hurt these applicants.
Applications for the latest round of Investing in Innovations grants are in, and a new rural “absolute priority” should result in projects more genuinely focused on rural schools.
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation that would increase federal funding for charter schools.
Don’t miss commentary by Marty Strange, Rural Trust Policy Director, in Education Week.
Date:
September 28, 2011
Related Categories:
Administrator,
Community Advocate,
Elected Official/Staff,
Networks/Groups,
Parent,
Policy Maker,
Rural Policy Matters,
Rural Trust Recommends,
Teacher
Related Tags:
Education Policy and Activism,
Federal Education Policy,
Formula Fairness Campaign,
Poverty,
Title I
The All Children are Equal (ACE) Act was introduced July 12 in the U.S. House of Representatives by 11 original co-sponsors led by Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA).
Date:
July 14, 2011
Related Categories:
Administrator,
Community Advocate,
Elected Official/Staff,
Media,
Networks/Groups,
Policy Maker,
Student,
Teacher,
What's New
Related Tags:
Education Policy and Activism,
Federal Education Policy,
Federal Policy,
Formula Fairness Campaign,
Title I
President Obama issued an Executive Order earlier this month establishing the White House Rural Council.
U.S. Senators Max Baucus of Montana and Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia have introduced legislation to create an Office of Rural Education Policy within the U.S. Department of Education.
Number-weighting in the Title I formulas is so detrimental to most high-poverty districts that many would be better off if the formulas made no attempt to target more money to districts with high rates of poverty. This post from the
Formula Fairness Campaign explains why.
Doris Terry Williams, executive director of the Rural School and Community Trust and director of the Trust's Capacity Building Program, has been appointed to the Department of Education’s Equity and Excellence Commission.

This Rural Trust report analyzes the impact of the rural competitive preference in the first round of i3 grants issued by the U.S. Department of Education. The analysis considers whether the rural claim was well-made by the applicants and well-evaluated by the readers.
In short, the federal grant program did little to attract authentically rural innovations to address the challenges of high-needs rural schools.
Date:
January 25, 2011
Related Categories:
Administrator,
Community Advocate,
Elected Official/Staff,
Investing in Innovation,
Media,
Networks/Groups,
Parent,
Policy Maker,
Policy Services,
Publications,
Resource Center,
Rural Trust Recommends,
Teacher,
What's New
Related Tags:
Federal Education Policy,
Investing in Innovation,
School Finance/Funding,
Teacher Issues
This month, three new organizations became co-sponsors of the Formula Fairness Campaign. Find out how your organization can join the effort.
Thirteen U.S. Senators have sent a letter to Secretary Duncan expressing concerns and raising questions about the i3 federal grant process and its impact on rural schools.
It’s time to address the real challenges that undermine the educational opportunities of many of our nation’s children
The so-called “rural preference” in the federal i3 competition did little to attract authentically rural proposals.
School funding was a hot topic in Ohio’s gubernatorial campaign and it is still hot as the state readies itself for its Race to the Top award…
The federal Investing in Innovation (i3) competitive grant program has laudable objectives, but it is doing little to reach high-poverty rural schools.
A new report by Rural Trust Executive Director, Doris Williams, addresses the potential of “community schools” to respond to persistent challenges in low-wealth rural schools and communities.
High-poverty rural districts won’t see much of the $4 billion in Race to the Top grants to states.
The mid-term elections are an important time to tell both incumbents and challengers that Title I funding needs to be fixed....
The small town of Hamburg, Arkansas made the news earlier this month when Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Deputy Secretary John White visited Hamburg schools as part of an eight-state tour. The visit highlighted two programs at the diverse 2,100-student district in southeast Arkansas....
Date:
September 28, 2010
Related Categories:
Administrator,
Community Advocate,
Media,
Parent,
Rural Policy Matters,
Student,
Teacher
Related Tags:
Federal Education Policy,
Pre-K and Kindergarden,
School Location,
Teacher Issues
A source of funding for rural schools located in National Forest counties is caught up in the fight over the federal budget....
After he failed to get legislation passed to enable West Virginia to compete for federal Race to the Top funds, Governor Joe Manchin has appointed a task force to review state education spending....
The number of charter schools in all locales is on the increase....
New rules in Iowa limit the use of physical restraints and seclusion for students with disabilities. But some violations have surfaced....
Date:
September 28, 2010
Related Categories:
Administrator,
Community Advocate,
Elected Official/Staff,
In Local News,
Media,
Networks/Groups,
Policy Services,
Rural Policy Matters,
Student,
Teacher
Related Tags:
Disabilities,
Discipline,
Federal Education Policy
Competitive grants are an increasingly important part of federal funding for schools. But will they reach the highest-poverty rural schools or enhance equal educational opportunity.
Two federal grant programs, both financed with stimulus funding, are trying to get states and school districts to make major changes to their educational structures and approaches. The programs seem divergent, but both emphasize common curriculum standards, tracking student data, and evaluating teacher performance on the basis of student test scores. RPM looks at how Race to the Top and Investing in Innovation are likely to affect rural schools…
New guidelines for Race to the Top applications are slightly better for rural schools…
RPM provides a brief interpretation of the 19 criteria on which RTTT awards points to state grant proposals…