Why Rural Schools Matter

"A collection of essays examining the various social, cultural, and economic intersections of rural place and global space, as viewed through the lens of education. Explores practices that offer both problems and possibilities for the future of rural schools and communities, in the United States and abroad"--Provided by publisher.

Using case studies and an auto-ethnographic study of rural education history in New York State, Casey Thomas Jakubowski provides an introduction to recent events in state-level educational policy implementation. Rural Education History: State Policy Meets Local Implementation argues that rural communities are subjected to urbanormative policy, especially in their schools, and provides voice to an understudied phenomena in an under researched region. The chapters combine sociology, policy, and rich case studies to demonstrate the realities, and nearby history, in rural America.

Indifference has not always characterized American attitudes toward rural children, nor has neglect always been the cornerstone of state and federal policy toward rural education. Indeed, for nearly a century there was an avid and influential—though ultimately ineffective—rural school reform movement in the United States. But in recent years, rural education has become a "skeleton in the closet" of the education profession. More than 14 million children attend rural schools that receive only minuscule amounts of the nation s financial resources and professional attention. The authors of this book carefully analyze the beliefs, assumptions, policies, and practices that have shaped and continue to shape education in rural America, concluding that conventional wisdom in rural education has proved to be considerably more conventional than wise. They offer pragmatic suggestions for changes in rural schools, in educational policy, and in programs designed for rural communities. As Robert Coles tells us in his Foreword to the book, they "give us clear, strong, uncluttered prose—a good sign that they are able to offer sensible, honest, unpretentious suggestions and useful ideas. They give us. . .a social history that enables perspective . . . and [they give us] practical, well-argued suggestions for a public policy both humane and capable of realization for our rural areas."

Originally published in 1991, essays discuss and analyse rural schooling in its historical, social, and political contexts as well as its educational mission. Collections covering rural education in the United States are relatively rare, particularly texts that focus on available research literature in context, and many existing texts are written by educators outside of the University. This book covers historical and social factors, rural education in the field, and the future of American Schooling. The chapters comprise not only an airing of issues, concerns, and findings, but also a guide to scholarship in the areas covered. Included is a resource guide to information specific to rural education and rural special education.