Schools Frequently Asked Questions
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
Officially called ERS Rural-Urban Continuum Codes, but most often referred to as Beale codes, after its creator, Dr. Calvin Beale. Basically, Beale codes are calculated by examining the size of a county and its proximity to a metropolitan area.
- Metro Status codes
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, they 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: The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was signed into law on January 8, 2002. 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.
See how your state is doing in fulfilling the requirements of the NCLB Act.
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. For more information, see 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.
- National School Lunch Program
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.
- 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.
- School Breakfast Program
Provides cash assistance to States to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions.
- School Breakfast Toolkit
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.
- 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.
- Summer Food Service Program
The single largest Federal resource available for local sponsors who want to combine a feeding program with a summer activity program.
- Schools/Child Nutrition Commodity Programs
Helps 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: How can our rural area start an after-school program?
Answer: There are several organizations that can help you start an after-school program:
- 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.
- Afterschool Alliance
A non-profit organization 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.
- Lights On Afterschool!
Sponsored by the Afterschool Alliance. It's a nationwide program which draws attention to afterschool programs and the resources required to keep the lights on and the doors open.
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.
Credits
Last revised 02/01/2012
