The state of rural education

Is your child getting the best education possible?

Rural schools face special challenges, and in Missouri, 271,730, or 30 percent, of all students attend a rural school, according to the Rural School and Community Trust. This compares to states like Illinois, with 12 percent. We visit one rural school district that beat the odds.

Story by Nancy Jorgensen

When Cassie Wright walked off the stage at Santa Fe High’s gradation ceremony this year, she carried more than a diploma. She was armed with an education gleaned from one of the best schools in Missouri—and it’s a rural school. Just 40 kids graduated in her class in Alma, Mo., population 400.

The Santa Fe District got its name from the Santa Fe Chief locomotives that used to chug through the area. Like the little engine that could, the district succeeds largely because it thinks it can. While some people think that urban or suburban schools offer a better education, this district proves that rural districts can—and often do—hold their own.

“In a rural school, teachers can focus more on what each kid needs,” Wright said. Her father, Douglas Wright, was superintendent of the district for 11 years until he retired this summer, and her mother, Donna, is assistant superintendent in a neighboring district. With both parents keeping a close eye, “There was no slacking off. I appreciate that now. Going to college, I know I can do it.”

Wright moved to the University of Missouri campus recently, armed with scholarships and advanced placement credits that helped jump-start her toward a degree. The Missouri Association of Rural Education (MARE) named her Outstanding Rural Senior High Student for 2009.

Few students apply for the rural student honor, since it doesn’t come with a scholarship. But Wright earned her stripes. On the honor roll, she took part in extracurricular activities related to Spanish, speech, drama, math, science, business, basketball and volleyball, and she was a state champion discus thrower. Elected president of the local Future Farmers of America chapter, she earned trips to state and national FFA conventions.

“I love road trips!” she said.

The little district that could

No matter what road she takes through life, Wright’s school prepared her. How did the Santa Fe District do it?

Her dad deserves a lot of the credit. Along with honoring his daughter, MARE designated Douglas Wright as Outstanding Rural District Administrator for 2009. Of 523 Missouri districts, Santa Fe is one of 30 that received the Distinction in Performance Award for the last eight consecutive years based on test scores, attendance, graduation rates and other factors. The district exceeded federal No Child Left Behind standards each year since the program began six years ago.

“We have high standards and high expectations,” Douglas Wright explained. “Every bond issue we’ve held has always passed—it’s never even been close.” Parents, teachers, staff, the school board and the community join in their support. He contends that support is based on results—beyond the school’s stellar test scores, the Santa Fe Chiefs and Lady Chiefs have brought home 40 final-four state athletic trophies since the district was formed through consolidation in 1966.

In this district, 45 certified staff members, including teachers, librarians and administrators, educate 400 students through a school in Alma for grades 7-12, and another in Waverly, 10 miles away, for kindergarten through 6.

“We may not have all the frills that big schools have, but you’ll be prepared for any college,” Douglas Wright said. “We offer the core classes that build a broad foundation. In some schools, earning a B is okay, but not here. Our parents don’t complain about too many assignments.”

Most area parents either farm, work for a local cooperative or for the government. Many have college degrees, but they expect their children to do even better. Wright tracks graduates, and he said a large percentage go on to become doctors, lawyers,scientists and other professionals. Some even return home to teach.

Less pay for more work

Rural schools generally pay less than their urban and suburban counterparts, which can lead to problems in attracting the best teachers. But that doesn’t seem to be an issue here.

Take Sheryl Wodrich. A Santa Fe High graduate, she’s taught business to junior high and high school students in Alma for eight years. Before coming home, she worked at other rural schools for 11 years. “I love this school district,” Wodrich said, citing community pride, parental involvement and small class sizes. “We do not have discipline issues, so the focus is on students. We believe in the students.”

Douglas Wright agrees that good discipline attracts better teachers. “Teachers want a less stressful life, and they get more respect here,” he said. He tells of one teacher who was with the district for 25 years before teaching in Kansas City. “She wanted to come back like you wouldn’t believe,” he said. “Teachers here are treated like individuals—they’re not just a cog in a wheel.”

The National Center for Educational Statistics confirms “small- and moderate-size high schools foster more positive social and academic environments than large high schools.” In addition, teachers in larger schools are more likely to report serious problems with apathy, tardiness, absenteeism, dropping out and drug use.

Most teachers put in a lot of hours, but rural teachers are stretched even thinner. Wodrich sponsors a class and advises the business club and yearbook committee. She admits that an urban or suburban teacher might draw just one of these assignments, yet she views them as opportunities. “In a small school, you can be more involved,” she said. “We know every student. We know they can do it.”

With their lower starting salaries, rural schools are sometimes known as training grounds for new teachers. Wright admits that his district can’t match Kansas City annual salaries, where teachers start out $4,000 to $5,000 higher.

“We try not to hire inexperienced teachers,” he said. “We want 10 years of experience with a master’s degree so the kids don’t suffer.” The district offers more competitive salaries to teachers who stay on, he added.

Rural schools squeezed

Per pupil, Missouri spends less than the national average, and coughs up even less for rural districts. The Santa Fe district spent about $8,849 per pupil for 07-08, according to Douglas Wright. That compares to the average Missouri school expenditure of $9,338 per pupil for the same year, as reported by the Missouri State Board of Education. NCES reported a national average of $9,683 for 06-07. Until this year’s economic downturn, states have been pumping up spending. Missouri’s budget isn’t as bad off as some other states, and the state constitution requires that a quarter of the budget be spent on education. But, budget concerns may reverse spending nationwide.

A lawsuit is winding its way through the Missouri Supreme Court to make per-student distribution more equitable. Ray Patrick, executive director of MARE, reported that St. Louis spends upwards of $13,000 per pupil while some out-state rural Missouri districts allocate closer to $5,000—a difference of $160,000 per year for a class of 20 kids. In recent years, neighboring Arkansas also saw a school funding lawsuit; per pupil spending here hit $8,391 for 06-07, according to NCES.

“Rural schools generally pay teachers less than urban schools because they don’t have the tax base,” Patrick said, explaining that school funding comes largely from property taxes. Governments assess commercial properties at a higher rate than residential and farm, but rural areas have fewer commercial enterprises. “That’s why rural districts operate with larger tax levies,” Patrick added. On top of that, rural communities don’t receive as many commercial sponsorship contributions as more urban schools.

Rural students also travel farther to school, causing higher transportation costs. Of Missouri’s 523 districts, 74 teach only grades K-8, and bus students in grades 9-12 to neighboring districts. Home districts must also pay tuition to districts where they send their high schoolers. While Missouri maintains more districts than many states, you hear little talk of consolidation. MARE’s Patrick explained: “As I travel the state and see communities that lost their high schools—they lost their identities along with them.”

When you drive up to Santa Fe schools, your wheels crunch on gravel rather than glide over asphalt. On the bright side, “We don’t have a problem with skateboarders,” Wright said. He pointed out that rural schools often own aging buildings and make do with less. “Our schools are well-kept and clean, but old. Other schools have nice stuff; we can’t afford it. It’s what teachers do with kids that makes a difference.”

If Douglas Wright wishes for one change, it’s for more and newer technology. While richer schools sport a SMART Board in every classroom, the Santa Fe District spreads five of the interactive electronic projection systems between 40 rooms. The district owns one computer for every three or four students, but thanks to a state program called MOREnet, every classroom connects to the Internet.

Education by the numbers Average freshman graducation rate - per pupil spending

Graduation rates are for 2005-2006, and per pupil spending for 06-07, the latest comparable figures available from the National center for Education Statistics. For 07-08, the graduation rate for missouri bumped up to 85 percent and per pupil spending to $9,338.

Wright might see his wish spring to life soon. The district will spend federal stimulus dollars to upgrade technology and provide professional development for staff. Rural districts like Santa Fe can’t afford to spend as much on special needs students, and Wright also hopes the district will use stimulus funds to enhance these offerings. Since stimulus money will likely run out in a couple of years, MARE’s Patrick recommends against districts going on spending sprees.

Even with the stimulus, rural schools can’t offer as many subjects. Students sometimes must travel to a city to take advantage of advanced placement classes. Cassie Wright took her physics class online. “It was hard,” she said. “But I called the teacher almost every night, and she was willing to help.”

Rural places educate a growing number of minorities, which tend to be more transient and may face language barriers. According to RSCT, in the last decade, rural minority students in Missouri increased at twice the national rate of 55 percent. While the Santa Fe District remains predominantly Caucasian, it enrolls a number of minorities in the fall during apple-picking season. “For the most part, these are well-educated kids,” Douglas Wright said.

A big bang for the buck

Despite spending less, Heartland states rank higher-than-average in graduation rates. In Missouri, 85 percent of all freshmen went on to graduate four years later in the 07-08 school year, compared to a national average of 73 percent for 05-06, according to the Missouri Public School Accountability Report and NCES, respectively. NCES rankings put Missouri in 12th place in the nation in its graduation rate, compared to nearby Iowa, 3rd; Arkansas, 15th; and Kansas, 23rd.

As the Santa Fe District demonstrates, rural schools can come with benefits. They often pay more attention to individual student needs and have fewer discipline problems. They give taxpayers a big bang for the buck when you compare outcomes to dollars spent.

Another advantage—rural students get more involved in extracurricular activities. At Santa Fe High, Wright said that from 92 to 97 percent of students get involved in at least one activity. “Kids involved in school activities are more likely to succeed,” he said. “They don’t fall through the cracks as easy.”

Rural schools could use more funding, but the current economy doesn’t bode well for spending improvements. Rural populations earn less than their urban and suburban neighbors, and low household income drags down spending and graduation rates. The rural median household income in Missouri stood at $40,982 annually, compared to $46,145 in the U.S., according to RSCT figures gleaned from the 2005 U.S. Census. Already, 40 percent of the state’s rural children are eligible for reduced or free meals per RSCT, and, across the nation, the economic crunch is pushing more students into taxpayer-provided school breakfast and lunch programs.

 Yes, rural districts face challenges. But Cassie Wright provides an example of how one community deserves extra credit for providing the best education possible. Once she reaches her dream of becoming a veterinarian, she hopes the road of life leads her back to a rural place like Alma.

For more information, see the Missouri Public School Accountability Report at http://dese.mo.gov/schooldata/statereportcard. Also, see www.ruraledu.org, and www.nces.ed.gov.

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