Because of their heavy reliance on state and federal funding, rural schools are disproportionately impacted by the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce federal funding for public education, according to an analysis from the Center for American Progress.
In many states, rural public schools already receive less funding than non-rural ones because of small student populations, unequal state funding formulas and low local revenue. That lower funding also means rural schools can’t afford to offer a wide range of core and advanced classes, and they face challenges recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers. Such disparities will only be heightened if the current administration’s budget plans are approved, the report said. Without critical federal funding, many rural schools may have to offer even fewer classes, lay off educators or close entirely.
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