One in five U.S. public school students attends a rural school. Collectively, rural communities serve more students than the 100 largest school districts combined. In fact, in more than half of U.S. states, more than one-third of public schools are rural.
Join us for a discussion of the Rural Collaborative model, inspired by the Rural Schools Innovation Zone (RSIZ) in South Texas, which has redefined how rural schools work together to improve outcomes for students and align educational pathways with local economic needs. We’ll hear directly from legislators, a policy advocate, and a practitioner about bipartisan support for these rural collaborative models. You will also learn about the acceleration of the model in Texas through HB2209, the Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership (R-PEP) bill, passed in 2023. Today, there are at least 13 Rural Collaboratives in planning or implementation, including in Colorado and Indiana, where legislators are exploring enabling policy to sustain and support these early adopters.
Our expert panelists include:
What You’ll Learn:
