The Rural Blind Spot: Bridging the Knowledge Gap in Education Finance and Policy? (Research in Education Fiscal Policy and Practice)

Despite comprising nearly one-fifth of the U.S. student population, rural schoolchildren remain underrepresented in education policy discourse. The Rural Blind Spot: Bridging the Knowledge Gap in Education Finance and Policy confronts the persistent marginalization of rural education in state and local policy debates, where the dominant urban-suburban lens often obscures the distinct needs and challenges of rural schools.

Among the important questions addressed by the chapters in this book are

• What are the effects of enrollment declines on school financing?
• Do existing school finance formulas adequately compensate rural districts for the unique transportation issues they face?
• Should state school finance systems include adjustments for rural district size, geographic location or their unique experiences with multi-language learners or children with exceptional needs?
• To what extent does educational aid improve academic outcomes in low-income rural schools?
• What are the implications of expanded school choice for rural school districts?
• Should states mandate consolidation of small school districts or should states incentivize consolidation and resource sharing? If yes to incentives, how should those incentives be designed?

Rejecting the notion that rural schools can be understood through an urban lens, this book offers a rigorous, context-sensitive approach to rural education finance. It is essential reading for scholars, researchers, and graduate students committed to equity, policy reform, and the nuanced study of rural schooling in the United States.

Thomas Downes is an Associate Professor of Economics at Tufts University, USA.

Kieran M. Killeen is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Vermont, USA and Associate Dean for Graduate, Non-Degree, and Research Programming in the College of Education and Social Services.