Schools Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is the definition of a rural and/or small school?
Answer: According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the definition of rural schools was revised in 2006 after working with the Census Bureau to create a new locale classification system to capitalize on improved geocoding technology and the 2000 Office of Management and Budget definitions of metro areas that rely less on population size and county boundaries than proximity of an address to an urbanized area. Small schools do not necessarily mean rural, and rural does not mean small. A small school could be an urban school with a decreasing population. Rural schools can be large due to the center school concept where students are bused in to one school to save on costs. Some schools are considered small when compared to the mega-schools of several thousand that are common in some districts. A small school could be one designed to accommodate a specific population of students and their unique needs or a private school. Rural and/or small schools have similar needs and concerns.
According to The Condition of Education in Rural Schools (U.S. Department of Education, 1994), 'few issues bedevil analysts and planners concerned with rural education more than the question of what actually constitutes "rural".’ In the Federal Register published December 27, 2000, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced the Standards for Defining Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas. These new standards replace and supersede the 1990 standards for defining Metropolitan Areas. OMB announced definitions of areas based on the new standards and Census 2000 data in June 2003. The lack of a clear, accepted definition of "rural" has impeded research in the field of rural education. When defining the term rural, population and remoteness are important considerations as these factors influence school organization, availability of resources, and economic and social conditions.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the definition of "small rural schools" are those schools eligible to participate in the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program. SRSA includes districts with average daily attendance of fewer than 600 students, or districts in which all schools are located in counties with a population density of fewer than 10 persons per square mile, AND all schools served by the districts are located in a rural area with a school locale code of 7 or 8.
Beale Codes, Metro Status Codes, and Locale Codes are all classification systems that have been used to determine what schools are considered rural. All have strengths and drawbacks.
Beale Codes - The ERS Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, is most often referred to as the Beale codes, after its creator, Dr. Calvin Beale. Basically, the Beale codes are calculated by examining the size of a county and its proximity to a metropolitan area.
Metro Status Codes - The Metro Status codes was developed by the Office of Management and Budget and used by the Census Bureau. This system determines the location of the superintendent and assigns a 1 if that physical location is within the central city of a Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA), a 2 if the physical location is within a CBSA, but not in the central city, and a 3 of the location is outside a CBSA.
Locale Codes - Also known as the Johnson codes, the Locale codes were developed by National Center for Educational Statistics in the 1990s (and revised in 2002) for general description, sampling, and other statistical purposes. This coding system is based on both the proximity to metropolitan areas and on population size and density.
Question: What is the No Child Left Behind Act?
Answer:
President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 into law on January 8, 2002 after months of debate in Congress and the educational community.
The law sets deadlines for states to expand the scope and frequency of student testing, revamp their accountability systems and guarantee that every teacher is qualified in their subject area. The act requires states to make demonstrable annual progress in raising the percentage of students proficient in reading and math, and in narrowing the test-score gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students. The law increases funding in several areas, including K-3 reading programs, before and after-school programs, and provides states with greater flexibility to use federal funds as they see fit. All core academic classes -- such as math and English -- must be taught by qualified teachers. This requirement would mean a teacher has at least a bachelor's degree, has received state certification and has demonstrated subject-area competency.
There is a timeline containing various dates and compliances. By school year 2007-2008, students must be tested annually
in science at least once in grades
3-5, 6-9, and 10-12. By school year 2013-2014, all schools must have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) toward having all students meet or exceed the standards in reading and mathematics.
The law calls for staff changes for public schools in which scores fail to improve over six years.
School districts must allow and even help students at struggling schools transfer within the district to attend a better school, which may include a public charter school.
An option for students in continued low-performing schools are supplemental educational services funded by their schools -- such as tutoring, after-school programs or summer school.
For the first time, most local school districts have flexibility in determining how to use up to 50 percent of the federal funds they receive.
States and districts are given more room to explore ways to improve teacher quality, including alternative certification, merit pay and bonuses for people who teach in high-need subject areas such as math and science. The Education Commission of the States No Child Left Behind website lists certain requirements such as timelines, yearly progress reports, consequences for schools, among others that states must follow. The U.S. Department of Education No Child Left Behind website also provides important information such as how states will have some freedom while still being held accountable.
No Child Left Behind is based on four principles: accountability for results, local control and flexibility, expanded parental choice, and effective and successful programs.
See how your state is doing in fulfilling the requirements of the NCLB Act.
Question: Do rural schools need to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act?
Answer:
Yes. Currently, the National Education Association is working to
provide rural teachers with some relief from the NCLB rules and deadlines.
Question: How are rural schools going to meet the teacher quality requirements of NCLB?
Answer:
The National Association of State Boards of Education recognizes that limited resources, smaller economies of scale, isolated communities, sprawling distances, and attracting and retaining highly qualified teachers are issues which make certain education reforms especially difficult in rural areas.
Rural school districts need to meet the teacher quality requirements of No Child Left Behind. Many are wondering how they are going to do that. States had until 2005 to ensure that all teachers were “highly qualified” according to the NCLB Act. States had until May 2003 to submit their plans on how to guarantee that this occurs, however many states are still formulating their plans and this is still an emerging issue. Challenges such as teacher compensation in rural areas, and recruiting and retaining teachers in rural areas are just a few of the many issues that face rural schools in complying with the NCLB Act.
The U. S. Department of Education provides information on this topic. See New No Child Left Behind Flexibility: Highly Qualified Teachers.
Three guides have also been created to address the issues specific to rural schools.
The first guide is titled No Child Left Behind: A Guide for Small and Rural Districts which also includes examples of proven "best practices" for schools to emulate.
The second is Special Challenges of the “No Child Left Behind” Act for Rural Schools and Districts.
The third is How Are Rural School Districts Meeting the Teacher Quality Requirements of No Child Left Behind?
Question: Exactly what are the qualifications that teachers must have, according to NCLB?
Answer:
The federal government has established criteria for the qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals (teaching assistants) and set deadlines by which public schools must meet the requirements. There are many teacher qualifications depending on whether you are a new teacher, an elementary, middle, or secondary teacher, or if you are a paraprofessional in a Title 1 school. Written in 2003, the Rural School and Community Trust published the Rural Guide to "Highly Qualified Teacher" Provisions of No Child Left Behind, which lists the qualifications and criteria schools must have, according to NCLB.
It is important to note that on March 15, 2004, the U.S. Department of Education, announced online, New No Child Left Behind Flexibility: Highly Qualified Teachers.
Question: What is School Consolidation?
Answer:
School consolidation is the process of dissolving or reorganizing one or more schools or school districts into one new unit. There are arguments for and against consolidation of schools.
Consolidation of small schools has frequently been used to try and achieve cost savings and to improve the quality of education. The loss of a school has a significant impact on the future of a community. Demographics of a school can make it a candidate for closure.
Question: What programs are available to provide needy children with free or reduced-price lunches?
Answer:
There are several programs available, including summer food programs while school is not in session, after-school food programs, school breakfast programs, and in-school lunch programs.
The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program also provides the School Breakfast Program.
The Food and Nutrition Service administers the program at the Federal level. At the State level, the National School Lunch Program is usually administered by State education agencies, which operate the program through agreements with school food authorities.
Any child at a participating school may purchase a meal through the National School Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 40 cents. For the period July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009, 130 percent of the poverty level is $27,560 for a family of four; 185 percent is $39,220 for a family of four. For further information, see the Income Eligibility Guidelines.
The Afterschool Snack Program offers cash reimbursement to help schools, faith-based and community organizations that sponsor day care and after school programs, as well as faith-based private schools serve snacks to children in afterschool activities aimed at promoting the health and well being of children and youth.
The School Breakfast Program provides cash assistance to States to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions.
The School Breakfast Toolkit is designed for individuals who have an interest in increasing access to the School Breakfast Program, determine the type of meal service most suited to their needs and developing a marketing plan that will capture and keep all of their customers.
The Special Milk Program provides milk to children in schools and childcare institutions who do not participate in other Federal meal service programs. The program reimburses schools for the milk they serve.
The Summer Food Service Program is the single largest Federal resource available for local sponsors who want to combine a feeding program with a summer activity program. Another program is The Great American Bake Sale Grant, which helps ensure that low-income children receive nutritious food during critical times when they are out of school and particularly vulnerable to hunger.
The Schools/Child Nutrition Commodity Programs help American agricultural producers by providing cash reimbursements for meals served in schools, but also by providing nutritious, USDA-purchased food for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
Question: Is rural school transportation an issue?
Answer: Yes. According to the Rural School and Community Trust, over $10 billion is spent annually on busing kids. In addition to high costs, many rural school children who ride school buses end up with long rides, both going to school and coming home. As rural schools have consolidated, they have become more centrally located and have enrolled more and more students, thus resulting in longer rides.
Research is required regarding the academic, social and physical affects of busing. How far should students be bused? How much time should students spend on the bus? Is busing safe? What are the alternatives to busing? Is busing the most effective and efficient alternative for children?
Question: How can our rural area start an after-school program?
Answer: There are several organizations that will help you start an after-school program.
The JCPenney Afterschool Program sponsors four national partners to help expand their afterschool programs. These include the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, National 4-H, United Way, and the YMCA of the USA. To find afterschool programs in your area, please visit their website.
The Afterschool Alliance is a non-profit organization that is working to give all children and youth access to quality, affordable afterschool programs. This organization has step-by-step information for those individuals, parents, and schools interested in starting an afterschool program.
The Afterschool Alliance also sponsors Lights On Afterschool!, a nationwide program which draws attention to afterschool programs and the resources required to keep the lights on and the doors open.
Afterschool Alliance also sponsors Afterschool for All: Project 2010, a project working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality, safe and enriching afterschool programs by the year 2010.
Question: Is there a list of state rural educational associations?
Answer:
Yes. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a listing of Rural Education Achievement Program Coordinators. The National Rural
Education Association maintains a list of state affiliate organizations.
Question: Why do kids bully?
Answer: Bullies like to pick on people who are different. They seek to exploit those differences and choose victims who they think are unlikely to retaliate. Kids who are bullied might be overweight, learn at a slower pace, have a physical disability, have a difficult home life, or have low self-esteem. Kids who bully probably were bullied themselves. Or they have problems at home and picking on someone else is their way of coping. Bullying might make them feel stronger and in control. It makes them feel popular and important.
Question: What are the different ways kids can bully?
Answer:
- Cyber bullying - Cyber bullies forward and spread hurtful images and/or messages through email, instant messaging, text messaging, Internet chat rooms, blogs, and electronic gadgets like camera cell phones and pagers.
- Emotional bullying - Isolating or excluding a child from activities, such as ignoring the child in the lunchroom or on school outings, or spreading rumors. This kind of bullying is more common among girls.
- Physical bullying - Kicking, hitting, biting, pinching, hair pulling or threats of physical harm.
- Racist bullying – Bullying children through racial slurs, offensive gestures, or making jokes about a child's cultural traditions.
- Sexual bullying- Unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive and inappropriate comments.
Question: What are signs that a child is being bullied?
Answer:
- making up stomachaches and headaches to avoid going to school
- missing belongings or money
- sleeping problems
- bedwetting
- irritability
- poor concentration
- unexpected changes in routine
- problems with schoolwork
Question: How can parents help their child who is being bullied?
Answer:
Parents can listen, show love and respect, visit with their child's teacher and principal, have their child use a buddy system, and let them know that they are not the problem, the bully is.
Also, please see tips on what to do if your child is being bullied, as well as a document from HRSA titled What to Do if Your Child is Being Bullied.
Credits
Last revised 02/15/2008
