Implementing the No Child Left Behind Act: Implications for Rural Schools and Districts
Introduction
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) continues the emphasis established in the previous reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1994) on holding all students to the same academic standards. The 2001 legislation builds on the foundation laid by the 1994 reauthorization and expands the federal role in public education by requiring stronger school accountability, more stringent qualifications for teachers, and an emphasis on programs and strategies with demonstrated effectiveness. The legislation is focused on ensuring all students meet state standards by 2014 and that achievement gaps based on ethnicity, race, income, and language are closed. The provisions of the law were designed to ensure that all students make adequate yearly progress toward achieving "proficiency" on state standards within 12 years.
The goals of the new law will challenge states, districts, and schools in ways that will require them to rethink the structure, organization, and delivery of education in public schools. While all states, districts, and schools will face some difficulty in implementing the new law, the circumstances of rural districts and schools create unique challenges. The small populations and geographical isolation of many rural schools and districts greatly affects access to resources, thereby affecting a school district's ability to build the capacity necessary to comply with NCLB. Some of the challenges facing rural schools and districts are not insurmountable. However, they cannot be overcome without assistance and guidance. State and federal policies will be instrumental in helping rural schools address these challenges.
The federal government, through Title IV of NCLB, the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), has taken an important first step toward addressing the specific challenges associated with being a small and rural school district. Continued federal support, combined with state policies and programs targeting the unique needs of rural areas, will be helpful as rural schools and districts work to comply with NCLB.
While rural school districts are dealing with many of the same issues facing urban districts, including poverty and diversity, the new requirements of NCLB create challenges unique to rural areas. The components of the law that pose the greatest problems for rural schools and districts are those focused on school accountability and teacher qualifications. This brief outlines the challenges rural schools and districts will face as they work to implement the federal requirements for accountability and teacher quality. Also included is a discussion of the Rural Education Achievement Program and its potential to assist rural schools and districts in complying with NCLB. Finally, this brief will make note of promising state and district programs that provide possible strategies for addressing the challenges rural schools and districts face in implementing NCLB.
