Rural Schools and Health – Resources

English Learners and Students with Disabilities in Rural Public Schools
Provides 2019 data to show percentages of students who are English language learners or who have disabilities according to city, suburban, town, or rural locale.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Education Statistics
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Children in Rural Areas and Their Family Characteristics
Provides 2019 data on the percentages of children aged 5 to 17 enrolled in school, the highest education level of their parents, and their family structure by locale, with breakdowns by city, suburban, town, and rural. Includes poverty levels of children by state.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Education Statistics
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Broadband and Student Performance Gaps After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Analyzes the impact of broadband access during the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent student experience in rural Michigan. Provides data and information related digital device and broadband access, learning from home, student achievement and wellbeing, and future directions for broadband equity.
Author(s): Keith N. Hampton, Gabriel E. Hales, Johannes M. Bauer, et al.
Date: 08/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Michigan State University, Quello Center
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SBHCs in Rural Areas Decrease Absenteeism
Presentation slides that provide data on the impacts School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) have on absenteeism in the New York State Education System for years 2015-2018. Discusses how SBHCs mitigate absenteeism and the correlation between absenteeism and student health. Includes related information on SBHCs and their impacts in other communities.
Author(s): Chris Kjolhede, John W. Sipple, Wendy Brunner
Date: 07/2023
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: Bassett Healthcare Network
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Rural Communities Paving the Way: Innovation & Promising Practices in School Meals
A recorded webinar that discusses a shared services model for school food and nutrition services in rural areas. Provides strategies and best practices for implementing innovative school meals programs and networking with surrounding districts.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Author(s): Gay Anderson, Andrea Kruse, Silke West, Mia Medina
Date: 05/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Child Nutrition Program Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic, March through September 2020: School Meals Operations Study, Year 1 Report (Final)
Describes trends in Child Nutrition (CN) Program participation during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, from March through September 2020. Presents data on the number of meals served, operational and financial challenges state agencies and local program operators experienced during the pandemic, and the use of COVID-19 Child Nutrition nationwide waivers. Includes information on challenges rural program operators faced.
Additional links: Report Summary
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Disparities in Implementing COVID-19 Prevention Strategies in Public Schools, United States, 2021–22 School Year
Reports on COVID-19 prevention strategies early in the 2021-22 school year and describes disparities in implementing strategies by school characteristics. Appendix includes data on specific strategies related to mask wearing and ventilation for city, suburban, town, and rural schools.
Additional links: Appendix
Author(s): Sanjana Pampati, Catherine N. Rasberry, Zach Timpe, et al.
Citation: Emerging Infectious Diseases, 29(5), 937-944
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Ventilation Improvements Among K–12 Public School Districts — United States, August–December 2022
Reports on K-12 public school ventilation improvements to prevent COVID-19 transmission, including replacing or upgrading ventilation systems, installing filtration systems, installing ultraviolet germicidal irradiation devices, and improving airflow. Includes data for city, suburb, town, and rural locations.
Author(s): Miguella Mark-Carew, Gloria Kang, Sanjana Pampati, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 72(14), 372-376
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Rural School- and Community-Based Programs Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth
Highlights several school and community based programs that support the mental health and wellness of LGBTQ+ youth in rural communities. Presents four case studies of youth programs in rural communities in Minnesota and Maine. Discusses the context, organizational overview, key features, and challenges and opportunities for each program.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Robert Libal, Mariana Tuttle, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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A Rural Therapist and School Program Address Teen Mental Health
Provides an overview of the behavioral health needs of rural teens. Features a rural West Virginia trauma therapist, as well as a rural Wisconsin school program that incorporates teenagers' strengths and interests and connects them with trusted adults in order to improve their mental health.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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