REL Rural

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Rural

A key mission of the REL program is to support rural students, skills, and educators. RELs work in partnership with states and districts to 1) conduct original high quality research, 2) provide training, coaching, and technical support, and 3) disseminate high quality research findings about rural students, teachers, and schools. A selected list of resources developed by the REL Program appears below.

Partnerships

Rural Education Research Alliance (REL Central)
Iowa Learning and Technology Networked Improvement Community (REL Midwest)
California Rural Partnerships Alliance (REL West)
Central Valley Rural Education and Health Alliance (REL West)
Southwest Networked Improvement Communities Partnership (REL Southwest)
Improving Schools in Mississippi (REL Southeast)

Publications

Understanding Access to and Participation in Dual Enrollment by Locale and Income Level (REL Central, May 2021). One well-established strategy for improving college readiness and success is dual enrollment, which allows secondary students to take college courses and earn college credits. This study is designed to address regional needs by providing detailed information about dual enrollment access and participation within and across REL Central states.
Public Prekindergarten Participation in Oklahoma (REL Southwest, December 2020). Oklahoma offers free public prekindergarten (preK) to all 4-year-olds in the state. This study will examine the extent to which participation in Oklahoma's public preK varies across subpopulations of children and rural/non-rural communities and whether the local availability of public preK or other education options are related to participation levels. The findings will provide education leaders and policymakers with evidence to help target their efforts to ensure that all Oklahoma families and communities are aware of and have access to public preK.
Supply and Demand for Middle Skill Occupations in Rural California in 2018–20 (REL West, November 2020). This study is examining the link between community college training programs and the demand for "middle-skill" occupations (those that generally require education and training beyond high school but less than a bachelor's degree). This study will describe the number of degrees and certificates attained by recent graduates of California community colleges in four rural regions by program of study, compare these patterns against historical and projected job openings in aligned middle-skill occupations, and evaluate the overall balance of middle-skill workforce supply and demand for the major occupation groups in each of the four regions.
Assessing the Alignment between West Virginia's High School Career and Technical Education Programs and the Labor Market (REL Appalachia, May 2020). Strong alignment between high school Career Technical Education (CTE) programs and labor market demands is critical for positioning CTE students on a successful postsecondary path. To support these efforts, this report quantitatively assesses the alignment between West Virginia's high school CTE programs and the labor market, focusing on regional high-demand occupations.
Enrollment Rates of Children in Universal Prekindergarten Programs in Vermont in 2016/17 (REL Midwest, January 2020). The purpose of this study was to examine the enrollment patterns in Vermont's universal, mixed-delivery prekindergarten (preK) program and the child characteristics associated with the likelihood of being enrolled in different program types. This study describes the characteristics of children enrolled in universal preK programs in 2016/17, which was the first year of full implementation of universal preK in Vermont.
A Snapshot of Educator Mobility in Montana: Understanding Issues of Educator Shortages and Turnover (REL Northwest, October 2019). A study requested by the Montana Rural Recruitment and Retention Task Force examined educator shortages and turnover using Montana administrative data and the results of a statewide survey of educators. The data showed that a majority of positions in 12 "shortage" subject areas, such as English, math, and science, were difficult to fill or unable to be filled in 2017/18. These shortages were particularly acute in rural areas. Montana schools in rural-remote areas—which account for nearly two-thirds of the state's school systems—reported the most difficulty in filling vacancies.
Educator Retention and Turnover under the Midnight Sun: Examining Trends and Relationships in Teacher, Principal, and Superintendent Movement in Alaska (REL Northwest, September 2019). This study examines trends in educator turnover and retention, and the relationships of those trends to educator and school characteristics, during a six-year period (2012/13 to 2017/18, with 2011/12 as the base year) in Alaska. The study found that turnover rates were higher in rural areas than in urban areas, with the highest rates in more remote schools; and teachers and principals who were prepared outside Alaska and teachers who were in their first year in either their school or the Alaska K–12 school system were more likely to turn over the following year.
Teacher Retention, Mobility, and Attrition in Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota (REL Central, March 2019). This study is designed to provide a better understanding of the dynamic and geographic character of the teacher labor market, including factors related to mobility and attrition, in rural and nonrural settings in four REL Central region states: Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota. State and district administrators may use findings to identify needs for recruitment and retention, target workforce improvement strategies, inform progress toward state and district teacher-equity goals, and aid development of supports or incentives designed to improve teacher recruitment and retention where the need is greatest.
Indicators of successful teacher recruitment and retention in Oklahoma rural school districts (REL Southwest, October 2017). Oklahoma is facing a historic teacher shortage, particularly in rural areas. This REL Southwest study examined 10 years of data to identify teacher, district, and community characteristics associated with successful teacher recruitment and retention in Oklahoma's rural school districts. The findings indicate the need to develop specific recruitment and retention policies for rural districts and also provide points for rural districts to consider in their teacher recruitment and retention initiatives.
Opportunities for Teacher Professional Development in Oklahoma Rural and Nonrural Schools (REL Southwest, September 2017). This study examined data from the 2016 Oklahoma Teacher Professional Development survey. The findings provide an overall picture of teachers' professional development opportunities and practices in Oklahoma public schools, with a focus on rural settings.
Differences in Postsecondary Educational Aspirations and Attainment for Rural Versus Nonrural Students (REL Midwest, March 2017). Promoting college access, persistence, and success for rural students is a primary area of interest for the REL Midwest Rural Research Alliance. This study will examine differences in postsecondary educational aspirations and the realization of aspirations between rural and nonrural high school students at the regional and national levels. This study builds on an existing REL Midwest research study that investigates state-specific differences in academic preparation and enrollment patterns for rural versus nonrural students.
Exploring District-Level Expenditure-to-Performance Ratios (REL Northeast and Islands, March 2017) Using state education department data from an example state in the Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands Region, researchers created six different expenditure-to-performance ratios and investigated how districts' inclusion in the highest quartile on districts rankings varied according to the expenditure and performance measures used to calculate each ratio.
The Implementation of Dual Credit Programs in Six Nonurban Kentucky School Districts (REL Appalachia, June 2016). Districts across Kentucky are implementing dual credit programs, but there is little sharing of information about the implementation of these programs. REL Appalachia researchers identified six districts in consultation with Kentucky College and Career Readiness Alliance representatives. Profiles describing each district's dual credit programming were created using data from 45 individual interviews conducted with seven distinct stakeholder groups.
Decision Points and Considerations for Identifying Rural Districts that Have Closed Student Achievement Taps (REL Central, April 2016). Rural districts have long faced challenges in closing the achievement gap between high-poverty students and their more affluent peers. This research brief outlines key decision points and considerations for state and district decisionmakers who wish to identify rural districts that have closed academic achievement gaps.
Reshaping Rural School Transformation: Lessons from Federal School Improvement Grants (REL Northwest, May 2016). This study examines implementation of the School Improvement Grant transformation model in rural regions, exploring challenges in implementation and technical assistance to support these efforts. Leaders participating in research alliances with REL Northwest and other regional stakeholders requested this study to learn more about how implementation of the SIG transformation model has played out in rural schools across the nation.
Where American Indian Students Go to School: Enrollment in Seven Central Region States (REL Central, January 2016). This report provides descriptive information about the location and native language use of schools in the REL Central Region with high enrollment of American Indian students, whether Bureau of Indian Education schools or non-Bureau of Indian Education high-density American Indian schools (schools with 25 percent or more American Indian student enrollment).
Comparing Postsecondary Enrollment and Persistence Among Rural and Nonrural Students in Oregon (REL Northwest, May 2015). This REL Northwest study examined whether rural students at all achievement levels were less likely than their nonrural counterparts to enroll in college and persist to the second year. The researchers analyzed college enrollment patterns and persistence among rural and nonrural Oregon high school students, as well as variations among different types of students.
Gearing up to Teach the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in Rural Northeast Region Schools (REL Northeast and Islands, December 2014). This study describes key challenges and necessary supports related to implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics identified by rural math educators in the Northeast. The research team interviewed state and district math coordinators and surveyed teachers in Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont, to assess their most pressing challenges and associated needs.
College Enrollment and Persistence in Rural Pennsylvania Schools (REL Mid-Atlantic, October 2014). The purpose of this study was to examine the college enrollment and persistence rates of rural high schools in Pennsylvania; the types of postsecondary institutions in which students from such schools enroll; and the student, school, and college characteristics associated with enrollment and persistence outcomes. The study used extant data from the National Student Clearinghouse, the National Center for Education Statistics, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In phase I, descriptive statistics were conducted to compare rural and non-rural immediate and delayed college-going rates, persistence rates, and types of postsecondary enrollment.
Student Mobility in Rural and Nonrural Districts in Five Central Region States (REL Central, June 2010). This study calculated student mobility percentages in five Central Region states and compared mobility by locale (city, suburb, town, and rural locale) and found no consistent patterns. The report also describes districts in each state with extremely high student mobility.
Preparing Teachers to Teach in Rural Schools (REL Central, June 2008). The Central Region states have greater percentages of rural students and schools than the U.S. average. This report describes how nine teacher preparation programs in the region prepare their graduates for teaching positions in rural settings.

Videos

Collaborative Research with the New Mexico Achievement Gap Research Alliance (REL Southwest). The following members of the New Mexico Achievement Gap Research Alliance with the REL Southwest are featured in this video as they discuss their experiences developing a collaborative research agenda with the research alliance.
Considerations in Identifying Rural Districts that Have Closed Achievement Gaps (REL Central). This video provides a brief overview of information from the REL Central report Decision Points and Considerations for Decision Makers Interested in Identifying Rural Districts that Have Closed Achievement Gaps. This report discusses several considerations when trying to identify rural districts that have closed the achievement gap.
Heartbeat of the Community: Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Rural Schools (REL Midwest). Recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers in rural districts is a persistent struggle in the United States. To unpack the complexity of this issue, Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest collaborated with Detroit Public Television to create this documentary. This program includes research on teacher recruitment and retention across the country, and specifically in rural Michigan, and the actions that state and local education leaders are taking to recruit and retain teachers.
Implementing a Data Literate Culture in a Rural Setting (REL Southwest). REL Southwest provided technical assistance through the Oklahoma Rural Schools Research Alliance to Homer Elementary School, Byng Public Schools, Oklahoma, as part of the Educators and Data Use project. The focus of the technical assistance was the effective use of data to inform classroom instruction. The ongoing, collaborative professional learning consisted of two in-person training sessions followed by monthly virtual meetings with the teachers and principals. Through the vision and leadership of the principals, all Homer Elementary School teachers became dedicated to ongoing, collaborative professional learning with a focus on using data to improve student learning.
Northeast Rural Districts Research Alliance (REL Northeast and Islands). The Northeast Rural Districts Research Alliance at REL Northeast and Islands is researching technology-based solutions to ensure equity and increase efficiency in rural districts, and the relationship between school and community. NRDRA is also placing a special emphasis on fostering a culture of education data use in rural schools and communities.
Jerome Steele, University at Albany (REL Northeast and Islands). Northeast Rural Districts Research Alliance at REL Northeast & Islands Core Planning Group member Jerome Steele, Capital Area School Development Association, University at Albany.
Ready for the Future: Career Preparation in Rural Communities (REL Midwest). In partnership with Twin Cities Public Television, REL Midwest created a documentary about the unique challenges facing rural communities in Minnesota as students explore and prepare for careers. The documentary features two evidence-based career readiness programs in rural Minnesota: Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Wadena and Scrubs Camp in Mankato. The program emphasizes the research that reveals best practices in the field and highlights factors that contribute to success for students as they create their future plans. The documentary also includes Paula Palmer, director of career and college success at the Minnesota Department of Education; Susan Therriault, a researcher from the American Institutes for Research; and John Sipple, a researcher from Cornell University.
REL Tools for Rural Practitioners (REL Central). RELs Central, Midwest, and Northeast & Islands present three tools rural education practitioners and administrators can use to improve educational outcomes for students. Viewers learn about the following tools: Instructional Improvement Cycle Toolkit, Data inquiry cycle, and the Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle.
Rural Education Research Alliance 2015 Webinar Series (REL Central). The following video describes the series of webinars held by the Rural Education Research Alliance. Members of the alliance worked together to identify the measures that may be used in determining the extent to which rural districts have closed the achievement gap between students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and those who do not.

Archived Webinars

More Research Needed: How to Build an Evidence Base for Interventions to Support Postsecondary Transitions in Rural Settings (REL Appalachia, September 23, 2021). This webinar supports policymakers, researchers, and funders in understanding the need, barriers, and solutions for conducting rigorous research in rural settings. To ground the discussion, REL Appalachia staff describe the findings of their systematic evidence review on nonacademic interventions to improve postsecondary success in rural settings. Then, panelists highlight the importance of conducting rigorous research, share some of the barriers to conducting research in rural settings, and discuss potential solutions to those barriers. The webinar allowed researchers, policymakers, and funders to come together and discuss the gaps in rural research as well as potential solutions.
National Forum to Advance Rural Education (REL Appalachia, November 12, 2020). REL Appalachia staff and school leaders from four rural districts in Kentucky share resources and recommendations for utilizing a continuous improvement approach to administering improvement efforts in rural settings. The session provides K–12 educators and school leaders with an opportunity to learn about the continuous improvement process, hear about lessons learned from Kentucky school leaders who implemented the process, and apply learnings to real-world applications through a sample case study.
Virtual Screening: "Heartbeat of the Community: Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Rural Schools" (REL Midwest, June 2020). This Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest event focused on strategies to prepare and hire teachers in rural communities, including strategies to support remote hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic. REL Midwest screened three clips from the public TV documentary "Heartbeat of the Community: Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Rural Schools." After each clip, REL Midwest facilitated a discussion with a panel that included a REL Midwest researcher, a regional education administrator, a teacher preparation program administrator, and a rural high school principal.
Studying Educational Effectiveness in Rural Settings (REL Central, June 2020). This webinar highlights strategies for promoting productive research partnerships between practitioners and researchers working in rural settings. The webinar presenters discuss four factors, from Studying Educational Effectiveness in Rural Settings: A Guide for Researchers, to consider when conducting research in rural settings (study design, recruitment, implementation support and monitoring, and data collection).
Strategies to Support Remote Learning Along a Continuum of Internet Access (REL Central, April 2020). This REL Central Quick Chat presents strategies school districts can use to bridge the digital divide and support student learning at home. During the 30-minute discussion, participants hear from presenters who share strategies to consider in the development of remote learning plans that require and do not require internet access.
A Closer Look: Teacher Perceptions and Use of Technology in Teaching (REL Midwest, October 2019). In this webinar, Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest addressed the importance of professional development for teachers using education technology to help prepare students for the 21st century. Researchers from REL Midwest presented an overview of the recent REL Midwest study Technology Use in Instruction and Teacher Perceptions of School Support for Technology Use in Iowa High Schools. Participants also heard from practitioners on how they can use the results of REL Midwest's recent instructional technology report to inform practices in their districts. The practitioner panel discussion included details on how rural school and district leaders can work to provide teachers with professional learning opportunities that are sustained, ongoing, and job-embedded.
The Growth of English Learners in Rural Areas: Research on Challenges and Promising Practices (REL Central, June 2019). This webinar presents current research on the challenges that rural schools face in meeting the needs of English language (Els) students, including teacher development and family engagement, and promising strategies identified in the research for rural schools to meet the needs of ELs.
Delivering Work-Based Learning in Rural Schools (REL Central, June 2019). This REL Central webinar provides an overview of research on work-based learning (WBL), challenges to WBL implementation, and research-based frameworks for WBL development and implementation. Representatives from two rural districts, identified as successfully implementing WBL programs, describe the components of their programs and the opportunities they provide to students.
Understanding What Influences Teacher Mobility Webinar (REL Central, December 2019). This REL Central webinar discusses trends in educator workforce mobility. Presenters from REL Central provide an overview of two REL Central reports: Teacher Retention, Mobility, and Attrition in Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota; and Factors Related to Teacher Mobility and Attrition in Colorado, Missouri, and South Dakota. Presenters offers examples of state and local programs and initiatives supported by research to improve teacher retention.
Rural Data Use Webinar Series (REL West, 2017-2019). The REL West California Rural Partnerships Alliance hosted a series of webinars focused on supporting rural cross-sector career pathways partnerships to improve their data-based decisionmaking. Webinar 1 highlighted the challenges that these partnerships face and identified resources and tools to improve cross-sector data use, sharing, and capacity development. Webinar 2 examined the following question: How can data be used as a catalyst for regional conversations around high-demand and high-wage career pathways? Webinar 3 shared strategies and resources for advancing and strengthening regional, cross-sector career pathways work in California. Webinar 4 was designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of rural and rural-serving career pathway partnerships around data sharing and data use.
Improving Outcomes for Students in Rural Areas: The Promise and Challenge of Educator Networks (REL Northwest, December 2017). This REL Northwest webinar looks at some of the challenges in rural education and the promise of educator networks as a response to those challenges. It explores successes and challenges of three networks in the country: The Northwest Rural Innovation and Student Engagement Network, the Vermont Rural Partnership, and the Ohio Appalachian Collaborative. Network leaders and members discuss promoting cross-district collaboration through job-alike groups, student engagement through place-based learning, and college and career preparation through personalized learning pathways.
Supporting STEM in Rural Contexts (REL Midwest, December 2017). In this webinar, Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest shared strategies to support science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning opportunities in rural contexts. Presenters discussed research on supports that have shown promise for increasing student interest and pursuit of STEM fields. Presenters also described rural community characteristics that benefit STEM implementation, highlighting successful STEM initiatives in Ohio and Tennessee.
A Research Partnership to Support High-Quality Professional Learning (REL Southwest, September 19, 2017). This webinar highlights the findings from a REL Southwest report on professional development practices in rural and nonrural schools in Oklahoma and how the state is using the information to support high-quality professional learning.
The Role of Technical Assistance in Turning Around Rural Schools: Lessons for ESSA Implementation (REL Northwest, October 4, 2016). This webinar recording explores how the experiences of rural schools who received School Improvement Grant (SIG) funding may inform state and local preparations for meeting the demands of school improvement efforts under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Dr. Caitlin Scott explains the role of technical assistance in rural school turnaround efforts. She is joined by a panel of rural practitioners who share their experiences with technical assistance under SIG implementation.
Recruiting and Retaining Teachers (REL Midwest, June 21, 2016). Victoria Cirks, Alliance Lead, Rural Research Alliance at REL Midwest, provides a brief overview of the Regional Educational Laboratory program, discusses the goals of the webinar, and introduces the speakers.
Practices for Raising Student Achievement in Rural Districts (REL Central, May 24, 2016). Matthew Irvin, PhD (University of South Carolina) shares an overview of his work on the effective use of online learning in rural schools with a particular focus on the effective use of learner-centered principles from an experimental study on student retention in distance education courses in rural schools. Peggy Clements, PhD discusses findings from an experimental study on the effects on online mathematics courses for grade 8 students in rural schools in Maine and Vermont. Implications for practice in rural schools will be discussed by each presenter.
Implementing a Data Literate Culture at the School and Teacher Levels II

(REL Southwest, April 2, 2015). This bridge event webinar, Implementing a Data Literate Culture at the School and Teacher Levels II, was hosted by the REL Southwest. The webinar is in four parts.

Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Components: Data Literate Culture
Part 3: Two Rural Principals' Perspectives
Part 4: Question and Answer Session

Rural Research Symposium (REL Northeast and Islands, March 22, 2016). The Northeast Rural Districts Research Alliance at REL Northeast & Islands and the Capital Area School Development Association (CASDA) at the University at Albany co-hosted this daylong research symposium to engage practitioners and researchers in critical dialogue about priority issues in rural education with a focus on rural school and community well-being.
Bridge Event Keynote: Rural Schools, Community Well-Being, and Implications for Policy (REL Northeast and Islands, March 22, 2016). The Northeast Rural Districts Research Alliance at REL Northeast & Islands and the Capital Area School Development Association (CASDA) at the University at Albany co-hosted this daylong research symposium to engage practitioners and researchers in critical dialogue about priority issues in rural education with a focus on rural school and community well-being.
Overcoming Challenges to Effectively Use Data in Rural Schools (REL Northwest, November 18, 2015). A 60-minute webinar offering lessons learned from rural school leaders who are effectively using data to improve educational outcomes for students.
Dropout Prevention in Rural Schools (REL Midwest, October 2015). REL Midwest and its Rural Research Alliance hosted the filming of "Dropout Prevention in Rural Schools," a one-hour Making Connections public television event designed to explore the unique challenges that rural districts face in regard to supporting students at risk of dropping out of high school. The telecast aired on WFYI in Indianapolis.
Skill-Builder Webinar: Building a Culture of Data Use in Rural Districts (REL Northeast and Islands, May 19, 2015). This Skill-Builder Workshop Webinar, hosted by the Northeast Rural Districts Research Alliance, presented the key characteristics of a data-using culture in schools and districts. The workshop explored a "Culture of Data Use Framework" through an analysis of best practices, barriers to implementation, and policy and guidance questions. Several case studies and vignettes were presented, and participants learned to apply key elements of the framework to their own institutional context.
Sustainable Coaching for Science Teachers (REL Central, May 12, 2015). In this webinar, presenters Gwen Nugent, Gina Kunz, and Jim Houston from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, discuss a peer coaching research project, Coaching Science Inquiry in Rural Schools. The project examined how professional development and follow-up coaching efforts influence teachers' knowledge and implementation of guided scientific inquiry with science content to help students learn the methods that scientists use to study the natural world.
Closing the Achievement Gap in Rural Districts (REL Central, March 4, 2015). This webinar provided participants with research related to teaching and learning practices in rural districts that have been successful in closing the achievement gap between students who qualify for free/reduced-price lunch and those who do not, and between students with disabilities and students without disabilities.
Implementing a Data Literate Culture at the School and Teacher Levels I (REL Southwest, October 29, 2014). This webinar, the first in a series of two, examines how to use data effectively at the school, classroom, and student levels—with a focus on the rural school setting. The webinar is in three parts.

Students and Families Living in Rural Poverty (REL Northeast and Islands, May 7, 2014) Professor Thomas Hirschl at the Department of Developmental Sociology at Cornell University presented research on poverty in rural areas and on the diversity of rural communities and their attitudes toward poverty. He also presented a set of strategies to assist rural educators in their work with low-income families, including approaches to minimizing stigmatization.
21st Century Skills and the Common Core: Research and Practice Perspectives (REL Northeast and Islands, June 12, 2013) Dr. Joan Herman, a member of a National Research Council committee dedicated to defining deeper learning, presents models for effective instruction, assessment, and integration of these skills. Several educators from rural schools in Maine also reflect on their own goal-setting with students on 21st century skills.
Strategies for Delivering Online Professional Development to Rural Educators (REL Midwest, May 2013). This webinar from REL Midwest and its Rural and Virtual Education Research Alliances is designed to help participants gain a better understanding of research informing best practices for providing online professional development to rural educators, including teachers and administrators. The event features a presentation by Chris Haskell, Ed.D., of Boise State University, who discusses the research on online professional development for rural educators and technologies being used for online professional development.
Aspirations of Rural Youth (REL Southwest, October 3, 2013). The webinar examines the challenges and successes of rural schools in supporting students in the transition to college and careers.
Tackling the Challenges of Budgeting and Finance in Rural Districts (REL Northeast and Islands, November 9, 2012). The Northeast Rural Districts Research Alliance at REL Northeast & Islands hosted a Bridge Event at EDC headquarters to explore how a range of current research may be helpful for rural schools and districts working to increase efficiencies and lower costs. The event featured multiple presenters who addressed district hiring practices and resource sharing to improve instruction with examples from Maine public schools.
Increasing Access to College Preparatory Courses in Rural Communities Through Dual Enrollment (REL Appalachia, September 24, 2012). REL Appalachia hosted an informative presentation on the latest research pertaining to dual enrollment programs and their relationship to high school graduation, college enrollment, and college retention. The panel included both dual enrollment research experts and school administrators with hands-on experience in dual enrollment programs.

Infographics

Educator Mobility and Shortages in Montana (REL Northwest)
Educator Retention and Turnover in Alaska (REL Northwest)
How Do Professional Development Opportunities Differ for Rural and Nonrural Teachers in Oklahoma? (REL Southwest)
Indicators of Successful Teacher Recruitment and Retention in Oklahoma Rural Schools (REL Southwest)
Integrating technology to develop 21st century skills in rural Iowa (REL Midwest)
Student Proficiency on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in Reading and Mathematics for 2011, 2013, and 2015 by Geographic Location (REL Central). This series of infographics provides an easy-to-read comparison of rural student performance relative to town, suburban, and city student performance for each state in the region.

Integrating technology to develop 21st century skills in rural Iowa (REL Midwest)
Internet Connectivity Across the Central States (REL Central)

Teacher Mobility in Rural Settings (REL Central)
Using Data to Monitor and Improve Handle with Care in Schools (REL Appalachia)
Virtual preventative strategies to support students' social-emotional and mental health needs associated with trauma (REL Appalachia)
What is School Like? (REL Pacific)

For more resources in ERIC on the topic of Rural, click here.