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A first-of-its-kind-in-the-nation high school model is making such a tremendous impact in Texas that the Texas State Legislature has just passed a bill to incentivize its replication in rural school districts statewide. The “Rural Schools Innovation Zone” (RSIZ) is a formal collaboration between three rural school districts. Focused on college attainment and career pathways for the 21st-century job market, the RSIZ is opening doors to postsecondary opportunities for rural students in ways previously impossible.

In an effort to amplify the success of this groundbreaking, rural school collaborative ⎯ and to bring the RSIZ to the attention of state and federal policymakers nationwide who represent rural families and industries ⎯ Progressive Policy Institute’s (PPI) Reinventing America’s Schools Project (RAS) today released a detailed report titled “Reinventing Rural Education: The Rural Schools Innovation Zone,” specifying the unique challenges rural schools face and how the RSIZ meets those challenges while expanding career pathways and workforce preparation for students. Report author Tressa Pankovits, Co-Director of Reinventing America’s Schools, outlines designing and implementing RSIZ and discusses how this model could be successful in other rural parts of the country.

“Traveling to southern Texas, I saw firsthand how the Rural Schools Innovation Zone prepared its students for success, said Tressa Pankovits, Co-Director of Reinventing America’s Schools. “The RSIZ collaboration in Texas should be a blueprint for other rural school districts across the country that aspire to give their students the opportunity to graduate with college credits and industry certifications that qualify them for jobs with family-sustaining wages. The RSIZ model is also designed to help rural communities keep up with the demand for skilled workers and revitalize rural communities.”

Nearly one in five U.S. students attend a rural school, but rural schools are often left behind in policy discussions due to their unique challenges. Seeking to rectify that, the Reinventing America’s Schools Project today hosted a delegation of students, educators, and administrators from the RSIZ to travel to Capitol Hill and host a panel discussion where the students shared their experiences possible through the RSIZ. The panel also included Alyssa Morton, CEO and Partner at Empower Schools, who discussed how her organization has played a vital role in launching and continuing to support ongoing success at the RSIZ. 

During their visit to Capitol Hill with PPI, the attendees from the RSIZ also had the opportunity to directly engage with members and staff from their local congressional delegation. Alicia Seagraves, Senior Legislative Assistant for U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar (TX-28), attended the event and provided welcoming remarks on behalf of the Congressman’s office. After the event, the RSIZ group and PPI met with U.S. Representative Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34). Both Representatives Cuellar and Gonzalez represent areas of the RSIZ in Congress.

Read the full report here.

Educators, students, and administrators from the RSIZ, along with report author Tressa Pankovits, stand with U.S. Representative Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34).

The Reinventing America’s Schools Project inspires a 21st century model of public education geared to the knowledge economy. Two models, public charter schools and public innovation schools, are showing the way by providing autonomy for schools, accountability for results, and parental choice among schools tailored to the diverse learning styles of children. The project is co-led by Curtis Valentine and Tressa Pankovits.

The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) is a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to create radically pragmatic ideas for moving America beyond ideological and partisan deadlock. Learn more about PPI by visiting progressivepolicy.org. Find an expert at PPI and follow us on Twitter.

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Media Contact: Amelia Fox – afox@ppionline.org