Achieving Progress in Rural Areas

The Center for American Progress has recently come out with a new report, Additional Learning Opportunities in Rural Areas. The report simply states, "Rural, low-income students are more at risk of becoming high school dropouts than their city and suburban peers."

That concerns me.

Coming from Colorado, I'm familiar with rural communities. However, for those of you who aren't – rural communities are determined by a number of characteristics including the size of the community, the population density, and local job availability.

I was pleased to read that the Center for American Progress cites extended learning time as a promising strategy as a way to improve the achievement of rural students.

For example, one school highlighted was KIPP Gaston in Gaston, N.C. They have already utilized extended learning time as a means for enhancing student achievement. All students are in class there from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. every day and half a day every other Saturday. The students also attend a three-week, full day summer session.

In the latest KIPP Report Card, Kipp Gaston's 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th graders have ranked higher than their North Carolina counterparts in every category. Check out the breakdown after the jump:

6^th Grade Results (by percent)

                 

	Reading	Math
Gaston	93	93
North Carolina	83	65

 

7^th Grade results (by percent)

                       

	Reading	Math	Writing
Gaston	97	93	72
North Carolina	86	64	51

 

8^th Grade Results (by percent)

 

                       

	Math	Algebra I	Reading
Gaston	97	84	100
North Carolina	65	67	88

I know I've said this before; part of the reason KIPP charters have seen success is because of their rigorous standards and extended learning day. These are both concepts that the campaign has been advocating since its beginning -- we believe that when students are given more time and support for learning, they are better able to be fully prepared for college, work, and life.