Rural Schools

Here’s How Education and Industry Can Work Together To Close the ‘Skills Gap’
A new industry in Eastern Kentucky is sending us all an urgent reminder that workforce readiness must be an educational priority. AppHarvest, a sustainable greenhouse…

2021 Must Be the Year for Rural Education
It’s no secret that education reform initiatives tend to target urban schools. Achievement gaps in America’s largest cities are significant, and as families flock to…

The American School System Must Push Back on Fascist Ideas
I am going to share a dirty little secret. For over 20 years, I have been a frequent viewer of “Fox & Friends.” The blame…

XQ+RI Schools Rise to the Challenge of Distance Learning and Hope to Inspire a State
Before the COVID-19 pandemic came into full view, the voice of Angélica Infante-Green, the Rhode Island Education Commissioner, bounced off the marble walls of the…

We Know Mississippi Can Improve Its Schools, If Only Our Leaders Would Get On Board
The state of Mississippi is often the butt of many jokes revolving around intelligence and education—or lack thereof. These jokes don’t happen for no reason;…

One HBCU and One Black-Led Charter School Team Up to Ensure Success for Rural Students of Color
Crossroad Academy Charter School in Quincy, Florida, defies expectations. More than 90% of the school’s 530 students are Black or Hispanic, more than two-thirds qualify…

Before We Discuss ‘Equity in Schools,’ Tell Me What You Really Mean
To know me is to know my aversion to all things “buzzwordy.” My rule of thumb for education is that if it can fit on…

What It’s Like to Attend School in Rural America
On a rainy day in May of 2018, I toured a public school in northern Pennsylvania. Most of the students were eligible for free lunch.…

How Our Rural School Is Closing the Opportunity Gap and Preparing the Next Generation of Teachers
Teacher shortages in Wisconsin, and across the country, have a stranglehold on the profession. Enrollment in educator prep programs in Wisconsin is down 30 percent.…

This November, Vote for Education Equity
I recently attended the Education Post Blogger Summit in Montgomery, Alabama. Of the many inspiring moments, the one that hit me hardest was when Alma…