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Rural Crossroads

New group promotes interest in rural education, pathways to teaching

Posted on by dianebeets

Students in Kansas State University’s College of Education gathered in late September for the first meeting of ED ASTRA, an organization designed for students interested in teaching in rural settings. ED ASTRA stands for Education Advocates Supporting Teachers in Rural Areas and is a take-off of the Kansas state motto. Besides building a community of rural-focused future teachers, part of the members’ responsibilities would involve visiting rural schools to promote teaching as a career.

The group’s initial meeting featured Matt Weller, principal of Lincoln Elementary School in Clay County USD 379. Weller, a graduate of K-State’s College of Education, discussed the value of teaching in a rural district, as well as his journey into administration. Weller was also instrumental in the college’s beginning efforts regarding tele-presence in education.

Matt Weller speaks at the first ever ED ASTRA meeting.

“Partnering with rural schools and communities is a foundational part of our mission,” said Debbie Mercer, the Dean of the College of Education. “By doing so, rural communities will become more sustainable and continue to grow in capacity and knowledge. With ED ASTRA, we want to help those future rural educators be prepared for their careers in rural communities.”

If you are interested in participating in a future meeting of ED ASTRA or have students who may be interested in a career in education, please contact us at ruraled@ksu.edu.

In addition to supporting students with a rural focus, the College of Education has several pathways to teaching that may benefit students and community members in rural areas. The online Bachelor of Education degree allows students to live and work in their home communities while completing a degree online. This is an affordable and convenient option for students to obtain an exceptional educational experience from Kansas State University without having to leave their community and support network. More information can be found at: https://online.k-state.edu/programs/elementary-education-bachelors/

For adult learners who are considering a change in career into the field of education, Kansas State University offers the Master of Arts in Teaching degree. This one-year program is for students who have previously completed a bachelor’s degree. MAT pathways are available for Elementary, K-6; Modern Languages, K-12; Social Studies, 6-12; English/Language Arts, 6-12; Agriculture Education 6-12; and a non-licensure international track. For more information, please see: https://coe.k-state.edu/academics/program-areas/master-of-arts-teaching/

KBOR, COE work to support future rural, urban teachers in Kansas

Posted on by dianebeets

 

 

Kansas State University’s College of Education has received a grant from the Kansas Board of Regents to support scholarships for online undergraduate students in urban and rural communities planning to become teachers. And today, TRUST Scholars have been selected for spring 2022 student teaching placements in rural and urban schools.

Project TRUST — Training Rural and Urban School Teachers — is a $160,000 grant designed to help place-bound students in targeted communities earn a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. It will provide 30 students with 12 credit hours of tuition support for their final semester. It supports a grow-your-own program model by allowing students to complete their degree requirements in their home communities while addressing specific teacher needs in hard-to-fill disciplines and underserved areas.

The college first offered this online bachelor’s degree in 2017 with eight students enrolled. Today, the number is 110, representing a greater than tenfold – or 1,275% – increase in enrollment.

In addition to working with teacher pathway programs at local school districts, Project TRUST coordinators will work closely with administrators at Kansas City Kansas Community College in Kansas City and Seward County Community College in Liberal.

 We’ll soon share updates on placements and which school districts will host TRUST Scholars.

More details about the TRUST Scholars and the program are available at:

https://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/2021-04/kbor-grant-teaching-scholarships.html

Telepresence robots bring new opportunities

Posted on by dianebeets

Thanks to two USDA grants, the Rural Education Center, was able to provide 18 districts in the state of Kansas with telepresence robots. While not their original intended purpose, the robots have been a timely tool with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Robots ready for distribution to partner school districts

Kati Thul, Assistant Superintendent from Renwick USD 267 shared that they were able to use the robots when students were quarantined. Teachers had the robot in class and the student at home was able to “remote” in and be a part of each class.  The Robot allowed students to feel connected to the classroom while they were not able to attend in-person.

Prairie Hills USD 113 had a similar experience. When they resumed in person classes during the pandemic, one student was unable to be present. She was able to use the robot to learn remotely. Having the flexibility to maneuver around the school allowed her to spend time with friends during recess.  This was critical for her social development and general well-being. She was even able to “attend” a ceremony to accept a reading award!

Guests use a robot to view students’ art in USD 113 annual art show

Lisa Suhr, Technology Integration Specialist from Prairie Hills, also shared that they were able to share their students’ art at their annual Art Show with family and friends who couldn’t attend in person. Family members from as far away as Florida were able to use the robots to “walk” through the show and enjoy the students’ art.

The College of Education has piloted a remote field experience program for its students. Allowing students to remotely observe classrooms in locations where they likely wouldn’t normally have the opportunity has been a great success. We are exploring expanding this program to give more EDCATS the opportunity to observe in rural schools. In addition to being good pre-service students, it is a great opportunity for rural school districts to highlight their strengths and build connections with future teachers who may have an interest in rural education.

Rural PDS Network Expands

Posted on by dianebeets

Entering its second year, the Rural Education Center (REC) is proud to partner with Kansas school districts as part of a Rural Professional Development School network. This network exists to help address rural schools’ most pressing needs, provide a forum to share best practices, explore grant opportunities and highlight accomplishments. Fifteen districts across the state have joined the RPDS network, increasing from eight last year: Belle Plaine USD 357; Bluestem USD 205; Clay County USD 379; Dighton USD 482; Goodland USD 352; Kiowa County USD 422; Lakin USD 215; Liberal USD 480; Nemaha USD 115; Prairie Hills USD 113; Renwick USD 267; Skyline USD 438; Troy USD 429; Twin Valley USD 240; and Washington USD 108.

The National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPDS) released a statement this year which notes that partnerships between universities and P-12 schools are among the most influential and meaningful relationships in the educational field. (https://3atjfr1bmy981egf6x3utg20-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/What-it-Means-to-be-a-PDS-Second-Edition-2021-Final.pdf) The Rural Professional Development School Network aims to leverage such partnerships with the districts above to further opportunities for rural schools in the state of Kansas. Already, this has led to collaboration on grants, provided technology that brings new opportunities to students, and professional development to teachers. With additional partner districts, the REC is looking forward to additional collaborations in the future. Plans for summer STEAM academies, additional STEM training for rural teachers and events for their students, and other exciting initiatives are currently in the planning stages. By focusing on rural schools exclusively, the RPDS creates a unique opportunity to build connections among this

Denise O’Dea, Superintendent at Washington (USD 108) and new RPDS member is enthusiastic about the possibilities the partnership presents. Washington is a one building district, located in northeast Kansas and serves about 370 students. O’Dea shared that her district, like most rural districts, offers students an exceptional education but acknowledges that the isolation from metropolitan areas may not provide the same resources that students in larger schools may have. She is hopeful that the partnership with the REC will provide access to more resources and materials to help her students. It also presents an opportunity to assist with recruiting student teachers and retaining staff.

The Rural Education Center is excited about the opportunities to partner with these schools. The opportunities for collaboration and working to secure resources for students across the state.

Rural Reads

Posted on by dianebeets

Here’s an article discussing the perceptions of postsecondary education and training in rural areas:

https://ednote.ecs.org/rural-perspectives-enhancing-education-and-training-support-for-rural-residents/?utm_source=ECS+Subscribers&utm_campaign=66e236eadb-Ed_Note_Daily&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1a2b00b930-66e236eadb-53611563

Read stories from one rural Kansas town who has mastered “shrinking smart, rather than withering”:

https://www.kansascommerce.gov/2019/10/what-rural-kansas-child-care-and-cafes-say-about-shrinking-smart-rather-than-withering/

Data analysis that helps rural communities invest in their strengths and leverage assets:

https://reenvisioning-rural-america.urban.org/?fbclid=IwAR3IaQ3pJ0jrjGgo-KFxQFC7Pxg1vMQRwq8SrnpJD4INxWUbOaeHNWpaw8g

Kansas Profile is a weekly post highlighting individuals or companies in rural Kansas who are making a difference to their community and state:

https://blogs.k-state.edu/kansasprofile/

Rural school districts can be creative in solving the internet connectivity gap—but they need support:

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2020/08/10/rural-school-districts-can-be-creative-in-solving-the-internet-connectivity-gap-but-they-need-support/

“Despite lack of funding, rural schools can serve as sites of learning, community, and excellence. We need to understand both the problems and opportunities to make good education policy.”

https://dailyyonder.com/commentary-times-article-on-rural-school-misses-half-the-story-educational-success/2021/10/06/?fbclid=IwAR2ikieYbGQ1Ax29m68Vvkspmr1Qa8bG1CMAIU4we5yN25AXuEJNrVAQzho

And here’s what we’ve been listening to recently:

https://nrea.simplecast.com/ – National Rural Education Association Podcast

https://www.thehomecomers.org/ – The Homecomers Podcast with Sarah Smarsh, author of Heartland

Connect with us, Rural Summit plans

Posted on by dianebeets

Planning for the annual Rural Summit is currently underway! Details about this meeting, which will happen in Spring 2022, will be available soon. This is a great opportunity to bring rural educators and community partners together for meaningful dialogue and networking. We hope you’ll be able to join us!

Are you interested in learning more about the REC or have questions for us? We’d love to connect with you! Find us here:

Email: ruraled@ksu.edu

Phone: 785.532.3977

Website: https://www.coe.ksu.edu/rec

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KSURuralED

Welcome to our first Rural Education Center newsletter!

Posted on by lagoodson


Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Kansas State University College of Education’s Rural Education Center newsletter, Rural Crossroads: Connections.

It’s a name we chose carefully because we believe rural life is at a vital crossroad, with opportunities for achieving great things for our students and for the future of our communities. It’s also important for us to realize these roads also provide a vital link to others along the same journey. We believe these connections can be a powerful thing, and we are excited to be part of this effort.

We’ve designed this newsletter for a variety of reasons, but with one key focus—providing an outlet for information regarding all things rural, especially education.

When we became the leaders of the Rural Education Center (REC) at KSU’s College of Education, we wanted to not only share developments regarding rural education, but also provide an opportunity for the voices of rural educators to share their successes, struggles, and observations inside and outside of the classroom. We want to discuss trends, events, and professional development activities. But we also want to share what makes rural life—and teaching in the rural schools—so unique and (mostly) endearing.

We hope you find our newsletter valuable. It’s a work in progress, and we’re eager to get your feedback. We’re also interested in having you contribute items to future issues. Please feel free to contact us by emailing Lori Goodson at lagoodson@ksu.edu. We’re looking forward to Rural Crossroads: Connections generating a dialogue that helps all of us impacted by rural life thrive.

Let’s continue our connections!

A little bit about the REC

Posted on by lagoodson

Entering its fifth decade, the Center for Rural Education and Small Schools has been renamed the Rural Education Center. Along with Clark as its director, Lori Goodson, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, serves as assistant director.

Approved by the Kansas Board of Regents in 1978, the center focuses on meeting the needs of rural schools in the state of Kansas. Clark and Goodson are emphasizing advocacy for rural schools and their communities by pursuing grant opportunities and other sources of funding to support various rural educational projects. They will also conduct research and coordinate other educational activities to support the learning opportunities for rural students and teachers. Clark and Goodson look forward to supporting current curriculum initiatives and goals associated with the Kansas State Department of Education school redesign, STEAM education, place-based education and civic engagement in rural schools.

Supporters of rural education gather for second Summit

Posted on by lagoodson

Our first-ever Rural Education Summit, held in summer 2019 on the KSU campus, was such a success that we’d prepared an outstanding lineup for the second one! Unfortunately, COVID-19 derailed those plans.

It took us a couple years, but recently we held our second one virtually, bringing together approximately 120 individuals to share their successes and concerns regarding rural education. They came from as far away as Alaska, Indiana, Illinois, and Tennessee, as well as throughout the state of Kansas. Among the distinguished guests were six members of the Kansas State Board of Education.

It was a time of valuable presentations and rich conversations.

Among the guest speakers were Kansas Commissioner of Education Randy Watson, College of Education Dean Debbie Mercer, and COE assistant professor Tuan Nguyen, who presented his research on rural education.

The half-day event was followed by a meeting of the COE’s Rural Professional Development Schools network.

But the discussions are only beginning. The REC plans to provide links to resources and videos shared at the Summit, with plans under way to facilitate more discussions among rural educators.

Here are some of the virtual happenings of the Summit:

Kansas Commissioner of Education Randy Watson shares his thoughts in his State of Rural Education in Kansas presentation.
Keynote speaker Tuan Nguyen shares a little about himself to kick off his presentation.
Supt. Brett Nelson of Clay County USD 379 shares a couple of successes with the robots the REC provided for his school district.
Supt. Jamie Wetig of USD 220 Ashland gets the discussion going following the keynote speaker’s presentation.
Conference participants continue the discussion on rural education matters.

It’s a busy time at the REC

Posted on by lagoodson

The Rural Education Center (REC), based in Kansas State University’s College of Education, has several projects under way.

First, our website has been updated. Check it out at REC. And keep in mind it’s a work in progress!

We also have a specific email address where you can contact us with questions about services we provide or concerns you have regarding rural education that you’d like addressed–or if you want to get involved with our grants or other efforts. Feel free to email us at ruraled@ksu.edu.

Rural robots coming to a school near your, thanks to 2 USDA grants

Posted on by lagoodson

Robots are brining more learning opportunities to rural schools in Kansas, thanks to TWO national grants recently awarded to the Rural Education Center in the Kansas State University College of Education.

Combined, the two grants support 29 schools in 18 districts with a total of 118 Double Robotics robots and 23 Ohmni robots.

THE INITIAL GRANT:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that the center would receive a $146,031 Teaching Rural Students STEM Through Telepresence grant designed to create a distance learning network to benefit rural schools, with emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math. Participating schools will be Ashland High School, USD 220; Clay Center High School, USD 379; Dighton High School, USD 482; Haviland K-8, USD 474; Lakin High School, USD 215; Liberal High School, USD 480; Skyline High School, USD 438; and Bennington High School and Tescott High School, both in USD 240.

“We recognize the tremendous potential that exists in our rural students and are excited to take the lead in infusing our district partners with this innovative approach to STEM education,” said Debbie Mercer, dean of the College of Education.

The telepresence grant is part of the USDA’s $42.5 million investment (https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/news-release/create-news-release-21) in 133 distance learning and telemedicine projects in 37 states and two U.S. territories. The USDA will provide the funding through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant program (https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/distance-learning-telemedicine- grants). These investments will benefit 5.4 million rural residents. In Kansas, the grant is expected to serve 2,360 rural students and 37,964 residents in rural communities.

The funds — used solely on equipment for the schools — purchased 36 Double Robotics robots, which allow educators to teach and interact with their students who are at a different location. The schools also receive Apple iPads and laptops, as well as other equipment necessary for the project.

“This grant will allow us to provide more STEM opportunities for student learning and teacher professional learning,” said Spencer Clark, K-State associate professor of curriculum and instruction and director of the Rural Education Center. “We believe it could also possibly help address teacher vacancies in rural schools.”

Jamie Wetig, superintendent of the Ashland Public Schools, said teacher supply is always an issue in rural schools and this partnership may impact what classes his schools can offer students.

“In an evermore challenging environment to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers, the ability to provide educational opportunities in a small and rural school may sometimes be limited,” Wetig said. “By partnering with the Rural Education Center at Kansas State University, Ashland Public Schools will have the opportunity to work on the forefront in redesigning education from delivery to enhancing the curriculum. We look forward to expanding the opportunities afforded to USD 220 through the USDA telepresence grant and know this is just the beginning of using an innovative approach to support our students and our community.”

Spencer Clark stuffs a Suburban with robots before leaving the College of Education. He and Eileen Wertzberger, coordinator of Field Experiences, each spent a day traveling throughout Kansas dropping off robots to schools involved in our grants.

THE SECOND GRANT:

The REC followed that first grant by receiving its largest grant in history: a telemedicine grant to support STEM education in rural and underserved communities.

The $451,480 Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant is being administered by the Rural Utilities Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It supports the center’s Rural Enhancement of STEM Education through Tele-Presence, or RESET, program and purchased robots, microphones and laptops for the 20 schools in 10 Kansas school districts involved in the project. No funds were used to support personnel salaries.

Kansas schools participating in the grant are Andale High School, Andale; Axtell High School, Axtell; Cheylin High School, Bird City; Buhler High School and Prairie Hills Middle School, both in Buhler; Garden Plain High School, Garden Plain; Jackson Heights High School, Holton; F.L. Schlagle High School, J.C. Harmon High School, Sumner Academy, Washington High School and Wyandotte High School, all in Kansas City; Blue Stem High School, Leon; Ness City High School, Ness City; Osage City High School and Osage City Middle School, Osage City; Sabetha High School and Sabetha Middle School, Sabetha; Troy High School, Troy; and Wetmore High School, Wetmore.

Project RESET acquired tele-presence equipment necessary to support STEM education learning experiences in rural schools, with the Rural Education Center serving as the hub site for providing training, curriculum, instructors and additional resources to aid its partner rural schools.

Mercer said this grant addresses a critical need in schools across Kansas — one that came into sharp focus with the emergence of COVID-19.

“This is a phenomenal example of how College of Education faculty are positively impacting some of the most complex and labyrinth-like issues in our profession,” Mercer said. “This initiative addresses two at the top of the list: finding STEM teachers and providing schools with technology that levels the playing field for rural schools or those in underserved or low socio-economic communities.”

“This grant is an important part of our vision to create a rural distance learning network across the state,” Clark said. “It is another step toward creating more equitable access to educational opportunities for rural students.”

For Goodson, it’s both professional and personal.

“It’s exciting to see the Rural Education Center providing support for our rural education partners,” Goodson said. “As a product of a small rural school in northwest Missouri, I know the value of those small districts, and I’m glad to be a part of this effort.”

Rural Professional Development School network established

Posted on by lagoodson

The Rural Education Center (https://coe.k-state.edu/rec/index.html), housed in the Kansas State University College of Education (https://coe.k-state.edu/), has recently established a Rural Professional Development School network to help address rural schools’ most pressing needs, provide a forum to share best practices, explore grant opportunities and highlight accomplishments.

Eight districts have joined the initial effort to date and all are part of the Kansas State Department of Education’s school redesign project: Ashland USD 220; Clay County USD 379; Dighton USD 482; Haviland USD 474; Lakin USD 215; Liberal USD 480; Pratt Skyline USD 438; and Twin Valley USD 240, which serves Bennington and Tescott. Each district received a banner (pictured above) to display.

Drawing on its award-winning Professional Development School model with school districts in the Manhattan area, the rural network provides a collaborative forum designed specifically for rural schools.

“Our faculty has taken the greatest strengths of our existing model, reimagined it for rural schools and attracted partnering districts with education leaders who have an uncompromising commitment to their communities and students,” said Debbie Mercer, dean of the College of Education. “This is innovation at its finest.”

Todd Goodson, professor and chair of the department of curriculum and instruction, believes it affirms K-State’s mission.

“As a land-grant institution, our job is to reach as many Kansans as possible,” Goodson said. “With the use of technology and a real-time understanding of the needs in rural schools, we can be more effective at enhancing learning opportunities for teachers and students in ways that are both practical and meaningful.”

The seeds for the Rural Professional Development School network were sewn when representatives from the partnering rural districts met following the center’s inaugural Rural Education Summit last summer on the K-State campus.

J. Spencer Clark, Rural Education Center director and associate professor of curriculum and instruction, said communication plays a key factor in the new network.

“The Rural Professional School Development network provides a two-way system to keep both the center and the districts informed about ways we can help each other meet the needs of our students,” he said. “We’re excited to have a strong group of districts in this partnership to help us identify issues and challenges and collectively create solutions tailormade for each district and community.”

Kelly Arnberger, Dighton USD 482 superintendent and Dighton Elementary School principal, said he’s looking to broaden educational opportunities and experiences for his students.

“Our work to transform learning for the students at Dighton USD 482 is catalyzed with our partnership with Kansas State University,” Arnberger said. “At the end of the day, it is about options, and we look forward to providing more options for our students through our work with K-State.”

Rural reads

Posted on by lagoodson

We know your schedule is full, so we’re going to make things a little easier for you.

To help you stay in the know, in each issue of our newsletter, we will highlight a few interesting recent articles and videos that connect to rural education. We’ve also included a few that aren’t quite so current–but are meaningful reads. Please feel free to click through the links, and if you have topics you’d like us to highlight, email us at ruraled@ksu.edu. We would love the input!

The Rural School and Community Trust provides an extensive collection of rural statistics in Why Rural Matters 2018-2019; The Time is Now. This report is compiled by Daniel Showalter, Eastern Mennonite University; Sara L. Hartman and Bob Klein, both of Ohio University, and Kansas State University’s Jerry Johnson, who is chair of the College of Education’s Educational Leadership Department and the Lydia E. Skeen Endowed Professor in Education. Why Rural Matters

KSU’s Tuan Nguyen has co-authored a national journal article on teacher turnover. Teacher Turnover

Here’s the story of one administrator’s efforts to change her school district and community. New Approaches

Place-based language arts writing curriculum provides opportunities for rural writers. Rural writing

What helps recruit new teachers to rural areas? This article analyzes data from 14 institutions. Recruiting to Rural

A rural education expert shares some of the issues rural schools are dealing with during the pandemic in this transcript of a Harvard Graduate School of Education podcast. Covid-19’s Impact on Rural Schools

Here’s an article highlighting a Iowa rural school’s transportation, including how the need for social distancing because of the pandemic has affected their budget. Transportation

And, finally, we offer a look at North Carolina rural schools–and how they’re trying to overcome the digital divide. NC Digital Divide

Opportunities

Posted on by lagoodson

The REC wants to provide support for rural education throughout Kansas…and beyond! As promised, we plan to use the newsletter to provide information on possible opportunities for your districts and other organizations.

Here are some ideas we are looking at for future projects. Please email us at ruraled@ksu.edu if you’re interested in participating.

School journalism/creative writing: We know resources are often limited, so we want to provide an online opportunity for your students to publish their work–writing, photography, and artwork. It would be a great opportunity for you to showcase their talents with a larger audience of other schools and communities.

Virtual service learning: Many of our education courses have field experiences or service learning aspects, and we would love to include your school. This is a great way to help our students understand the great opportunities rural schools can offer them as potential employers. It’s a great way for them to get their foot in the door, virtually, and then consider student teaching…in person.

Provide specific high school courses: We want to develop courses that we can provide virtually from the COE to your schools. Ex: Do you need a specific math course? We can get a licensed teacher to teach that course online at a specific time for your school. Ideally, we want to establish a regular schedule for that teacher to lead that same course at different times throughout the week to different schools. By sharing that teacher, you would provide the curriculum your students need at a fraction of the cost; you’d pay a small fee per class to the REC, which would then pay the teacher. If you’re interested, email us 1) specific classes and grade levels you need and 2) provide a person we can contact.