The report demonstrates the need for policy makers to pay more attention to the special problems rural schools face. Policy makers got a wakeup call today about the importance of paying attention to the needs of rural schools. The Need for Every State to Take Action on Rural Education, describing rural education in each of the 50 states. The report suggests that the needs of rural school systems can't be ignored and are far more important than Americans might think from listening to the education policy debate. The trust's goal is to reform public education in rural America and to bring rural school issues into the national debate.
All states have rural populations.
They are demographically diverse and scattered throughout each state. Tompkins hopes the report and subsequent annual reports will raise policy makers' awareness of rural school issues. The Need for Every State to Take Action on Rural Education. Nearly one in five rural children lives below the poverty level. Rural America is as diverse as urban America.