McREL releases case studies on rural schools that “beat the odds”
May 3, 2006
Denver
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A new report from Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), a Denver-based nonprofit, nonpartisan education research organization, highlights how four unique, rural schools in Wyoming, Colorado, and Missouri, have helped their students achieve despite the hardships they face.
The report, Rural Schools that Beat the Odds, complements McREL's new study, titled High-Needs Schools: What Does It Take to Beat the Odds? This study identified differences between high-needs schools (i.e., schools with more than 50% of their students receiving free or reduced-rate lunches) that are high performing (i.e., scoring well above state averages) versus those that are low performing (i.e., scoring well below state averages). For more information, read the press release, McREL study of "beat-the-odds" schools finds leaders play key role.
Using the same methodology as the larger "Beat the Odds" study, McREL identified four rural schools that have helped their high-needs students achieve at high levels:
A number of key themes emerge from the case studies, including highly effective school leaders, high teacher retention rates, high levels of community support and involvement, and high expectations for all students.
"Despite the challenges of poverty and isolation, all four of these schools have demonstrated impressive student achievement," commented Zoe Barley, McREL's Vice President of Research and Evaluation, who co-authored the report along with McREL researcher Andrea Beesley. "Together, they demonstrated how it was possible for them, despite the hardships they and their students face, to create high levels of student achievement."
McREL is a nationally recognized, private, nonprofit organization located in Denver, Colo., dedicated to improving education for all students through applied research, product development and service. In 2005, McREL provided research-based guidance to educators and policymakers in 45 states in the U.S. and 3 foreign countries.
