NREA Weekly Updates: September 16, 2022

The Rural Educator - The impacts of school closure on rural communities in Canada: A review

In rural Canada the issue of school closures and consolidations due to low enrollment and heightened fiscal constraints has become a contentious and highly-charged issue for citizens and communities. This literature review synthesizes the major effects of school closure on rural communities, identifying economic impacts, social impacts, and implications for students.

Has Missouri State unlocked a secret to fixing special education teacher shortage?

As a paraprofessional, Melissa Johns found what she described as the perfect "mom job," doing meaningful work in a school setting during the same hours her children were in class. The work made her long to go back to college and become a special education teacher but she lacked the funding, time and flexibility to make it happen on her own.

That changed when she learned about Missouri State University's Pathways for Paras program, which helps working paras with at least 60 hours of college credit finish the coursework and training needed to become a special education teacher.

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National Rural Education Association Releases Five-Year Research Agenda

The National Rural Education Association (NREA) is pleased to release the National Rural Education Association Research Agenda – 2022-2027. The agenda charts a five-year research path for rural education with the goal of shedding light on innovative rural practices, addressing unique rural challenges, and continuing to build on the strengths of rural people and places.

The full agenda can be found on NREA’s website at https://www.nrea.net/NREA_Research_Agenda. Questions pertaining to the research process can also be directed to the research subcommittee members listed below.

Catharine Biddle - catharine.biddle@maine.edu

Pamela J. Buffington - pbuffington@edc.org

Sara L. Hartman - hartmans@ohio.edu

Erin McHenry-Sorber - ecmchenrysorber@mail.wvu.edu

J. Kessa Roberts - kessa.roberts@usu.edu

Sarah Schmitt-Wilson - sarah.wilson14@montana.edu

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New Panel at the National Forum to Advance Rural Education!

Excited to share the newest addition to our general session line-up…a new panel featuring Dr. Sweeney Windchief (Assiniboine) from Montana State University & Sheneka Williams from Michigan State University talking about what it means to have a fair chance at a good life in rural America. Get to know more about them and register now.

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