Partners for Rural Impact
Accelerating educational outcomes in rural places from cradle to career
Our Approach
Our place-based approach empowers rural leaders and communities to accelerate educational outcomes for all students by:
Addressing the program gap found in rural places to ensure students have equitable access to resources
Building the capacity of rural schools and communities to be data-driven and equity-focused
Aligning local, regional and national systems to ensure student success
Rural Summit – from Cradle to Career
One of the few national convenings to focus on rural America, the Rural Summit brings together teachers, principals, superintendents, higher education leaders, legislators, and nonprofit leaders to share ideas and strategies for ensuring that rural youth have the opportunity to enter school ready to learn and successfully transition from high school to college and career. Originally conceived as the Rural College Access and Success Summit, we have expanded our focus to include all points along the cradle-to-career path.
The Rural Library Network
The Rural Library Network is a cradle-to-career initiative that provides participants the opportunity to grow knowledge via online webinars and training in core principles of place-based work. It also offers a forum to grow relationships and connect with practitioners working in libraries across America’s rural communities. Membership to the network is free.
Measuring Progress To Success
For each step along the cradle-to-career pathway, we track specific indicators to mark progress and to better understand what moves the dial for students and communities. The indicators below represent the current status in our area of intensive focus, the Kentucky Promise Zone. To learn more about these indicators and the impact that COVID-19 has had on student success in the region, see Our Impact page.
Join us on our journey to accelerate educational outcomes for all rural students
We seek partnerships in the following areas:
- With individuals and organizations to support our work in Appalachia and beyond
- With organizations seeking to implement a place-based model in their community
- With organizations interested in increasing their rural impact
- With policymakers and advocates who want to align policy and investments to better serve rural needs