Dismantling Rural Stereotypes

The natural beauty that surrounds many rural schools hides the troubling realities that students in these schools frequently live in poverty and the schools struggle to give these students the education they need. James A. Bryant believes that one source of the problem is the fact that so many school reforms are designed with urban schools in mind. Charter schools, for example, don't necessarily work in rural districts because of the low student population and lack of funds. However, federal funding in initiatives such as Race to the Top appears to give preference to states and districts that remove caps on charters. Bryant suggests that education leaders need to become more informed about rural education issues so that reforms can be crafted to meet their particular needs. This article addresses charter schools, education reform, and school choice in rural communities.