Politics K-12 - Education Week

Politics K-12 - Education Week
Senators to Duncan: Don't Forget Rural Schools

Twenty-two Democratic senators from rural states are telling Secretary of Education Arne Duncan that he should make sure rural schools get a fair shot at all that competitive grant money the department is seeking in its fiscal year 2011 budget request.

The senators hail from largely rural states, many of which are considered "red" or "swing" states in presidential elections, including Arkansas, Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

You can read the full letter here, but the important point is that the senators appear especially concerned that some of the department's policy prescriptions (like charters and even extended-day programs) just don't work in really remote areas that have trouble supporting even one school. Instead, they're urging the department to check out other options, such as distance learning, that have a better shot of having an impact in rural communities.

Rural districts have often expressed concerns about the department's push for more competitive funding. They say that rural schools just don't have as much capacity as urban and suburban districts to go after competitive grants. The letter suggests that the department provide technical support to help rural