The Future of Rural Education in Idaho
Image: Student Treasures
Small-town schools are the center of every rural community in Idaho. The effort and resources we put into our children’s education largely determines the future of these communities and the economic progress of our state. Because of how critical rural schools are to their community, they deserve much more consideration than we’ve given them in the past. In addition to education, rural schools have so much to offer their community. They are often the center of a community’s culture and social life, and supply many jobs for the public. Rural education often focuses on their community's needs, and offers courses related to agriculture, which continues to be Idaho’s most important natural resource industry.
Idaho's rural schools need our help. Rural students do not have access to the same resources as opportunities and urban and suburban kids, like the same amount of Advanced Placement courses that will help them go on to higher education and consistent broadband internet that allows them to access essential digital courses. Teacher retention is also a huge challenge that directly impacts rural students.
Image: Idaho Business for the Outdoors
Idaho Digital Learning Association
Idaho Digital Learning Alliance (IDLA) provides innovative education methods through digital learning, creating access and opportunity for all Idaho students and educators. Their mission is to connect Idaho students with equity, opportunity, and access through digital learning. IDLA has been pivotal to rural communities, offering Advanced Placement and STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) courses that would not otherwise be available to rural students. IDLA also offers a variety of scholarships to students who are enrolled in their courses.
This is a great start, but there are still gaps that need to be filled in to ensure that rural students have the same opportunities as students in urban and suburban districts. These numbers indicate that rural students have don't have as much access to the rigorous programs that will help them continue on to high education:
In rural areas, 73% of schools offer at least one AP course, compared to 95% and 92% in suburban and urban districts.
62% of rural schools offer at least one AP STEM course, compared with 93% of suburban schools.
The average rural school offers half as many advanced mathematics courses as those in urban areas.
Nearly half of rural students attend a school that offers only one to three advanced mathematics courses.
Image: Idaho Rural Education Association
Teacher Retention in Rural Idaho
Teacher recruitment and retention in Idaho is one of the main concerns regarding rural education. Many teachers don't want to move to smaller communities, which makes it challenging for school administrators to find educators. A higher teacher turnover directly impacts students, as it causes lower levels of academic achievement amongst students There are currently several important programs and associations in Idaho that aim to understand the root of this issue in order to find a solution.
The College of Southern Idaho's Non-Traditional Educator Preparation Program, resembling other grow-your-own programs, allows residents of rural communities to have access to an alternative path to earning their teacher's certificate. The program's website states, "The goal of CSI’s teacher preparation program is toto address Idaho’s current teacher shortage by ensuring more flexible and robust training options to support emergency hires throughout Idaho school districts."
The Idaho Rural Education Association is a state affiliate of the National Rural Education Association. Their mission is to expand the quality of learning and educational opportunities in Idaho rural schools and communities through innovative solutions, shared resources, collaborative relationships and the access and application of educational technology.
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How We’re Getting Involved
Our Adopt-a-Pollinator garden project gets students outside to learn about the importance of pollinators, water quality, composting, recycling, and access to open spaces. The program teaches them about pollinator plants and insects to understand their significance to the food supply, and how recycling and composting impact the environment. This gets kids learning while being outdoors and connects them to the parks and outdoors spaces that are always available to them.
We'd like to extend a special thank you to our valued business members from Albertson's and Republic Services for sponsoring and volunteering at these events. The support of our business members has been so integral to making our Adopt-a-Pollinator program a success. To sponsor or volunteer at one of our Adopt-a-Pollinator events, please reach out to skylarjett@idahobo.org or annanaylor@idahobo.org.
Idaho Business for the Outdoors is planning to expand our Adopt-a-Pollinator program to areas outside of Boise in 2023. We are excited to share this essential program with the rural communities of Idaho that are so vital to our state’s future and economy. We hope that this step will spark interest and engagement from rural students to invest in the protection and preservation of our public lands.
Image: Idaho Press
IBO created the Boise River: Source to Snake journey to identify the Boise River quality issues that compromise our local waters, and to encourage citizens to engage in the important conversations regarding the health and safety of our rivers.
As part of the event, IBO got 240 high school students from urban and rural schools engaged in day-long water quality workshops along the Boise River watershed.120 elementary-aged students from three elementary schools participated in the water quality workshop hosted at the Boise WaterShed. Students learned about the fishable, swimmable, and drinkable water quality standards, as well as the economic and health benefits of our public lands.
“It’s primarily from urban and rural runoff—phosphates, nitrates and e-coli,” Heather Dermott, one of IBO's founding members said. “A lot of it starts below Boise. We’re really trying to unite urban and rural communities."
Our team has also been attending events and conversations focused on the importance of rural education, housing, workforce development, and outdoor recreation. We recognize that innovation and growth are crucial to the future of a rural community, and we can't achieve that without supplying our rural schools with the proper resources. Education provides students with the necessary knowledge and skills they need to contribute to the innovation of their communities. Investing in rural education is key to economic growth for these rural communities, as well as the state of Idaho as a whole.
For more information, visit idahobo.org. If at any time you encounter any accessibility issues on our website or with our content, please don't hesitate to reach out to annanaylor@idahobo.org.