MRA believes every child in America deserves a fair opportunity to succeed and that support for public education is vital to our democratic society. Our nation's future - and the future of our rural communities - depends on our children. Yet many students in rural school districts are short-changed. Although forty percent of America's students are educated in rural communities, our rural schools receive only 22 percent of federal public funds.
When Congress passed the “No Child Left Behind” legislation, parents and educators were promised the twin goals of striving for high standards and accountability. But school boards soon discovered the legislation penalized, rather than encouraged, school districts that fell short of the law's arbitrary standards. Sadly, teachers learned they must “teach to the test” rather than nurture the desire to learn. Moreover, the Administration and the Majority in Congress never fully funded the program. The sad truth faced by most school boards and educators is that “No Child Left Behind” impedes, not furthers, a child's ability to learn.
States with large rural populations are left on their own to figure out what's best for their students. Nebraska legislators passed the “Education and Career Preparation Act.” A Minnesota law requires all school boards to prepare a coordination plan for review by the state board. New Hampshire adopted a strategy to fund special education programs through a finance formula weighted to provide adequate funding for full-time special needs students. All these efforts are laudable but should not have been necessary.
We at MRA believe there's a better solution. Recognition must be given to schools whose students are learning. Federal public education dollars need to be spent equitably and federal mandates should never require small business and farm property owners to bear the financial burden disproportionately. We look forward to featuring educators, students, and school districts that are making a difference.
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