2024 Pre-Conference

Schedule at a Glance  (detailed schedule below)

Time Activity
12-1pm Registration & Welcome Refreshments
1–2:15 p.m. General Session: The Power of Rural Partnerships to Support Policy, Advocacy & Funding
Track 1: Research & Data
2:30-3 p.m. Learning Session
3:15-3:45 p.m. Learning Session
4-4:30 p.m. Learning Session
Track 2: Advocacy
2:30-3 p.m. General Session
3-4:30 p.m Advocacy Training & Model Meetings for Experienced Advocates OR Advocacy Training & Model Meetings for Beginning Advocates
4:30–6 p.m. Early Registration & 2024 Welcome Party

GENERAL SESSION

1-2:15 P.M.

Room: 200 & 201

THE POWER OF RURAL PARTNERSHIPS TO SUPPORT POLICY, ADVOCACY & FUNDING

This panel brings together leaders and scholars to discuss how to further policy, advocacy, and funding opportunities in rural education. The panelists will highlight how to develop, cultivate, and sustain powerful rural partnerships and how to build capacity and organizations’ capacity to advocate for rural schools, districts, higher education institutions, and communities, while attending to the diversity across the rural education ecological systems. The panel will end with questions from the audience.

TRACK 1: RESEARCH & DATA

Join researchers and data experts from around the country to explore how to use data to inform educational strategy, instructional practices, or policy decisions, and how to connect data and information to tell a story about your strategic vision, priorities, and impact.

2:30-3 P.M.  WHY RURAL MATTERS TO THE USDOE: THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE-BUILDING
Presenter: Victoria Schaefer, Senior Manager, SRI International
Room: 202

Do you know all the ways the U.S. Department of Education supports rural communities? Funding opportunities, technical assistance, and other resources tailored to the rural context will be explored. For example, at least 25% of the aggregate funding for the Regional Educational Laboratory Program must be dedicated to rural issues. IES intends to fund a rural education research and development center aimed at improving the education system, and ultimately, student achievement. The role of out of school time learning opportunities will be emphasized.

3:15-3:45 P.M.  MEASURING EQUITY WITH CENSUS BUREAU DATA
Presenter: Rex Kung, U.S. Census Bureau
Room: 202

The Census Bureau’s primary data platform, data.census.gov, provides access to the nation’s most reliable source of demographic, social, and economic data, including data for small geographies and rural areas. These data provide a benchmark for the diversity of people in rural communities and their educational attainment, which can help quantify initiatives that promote equity. In this session, you will learn how to navigate data.census.gov to access the most recent profiles, tables, and maps. We will highlight different ways to search on the site, including tips and tricks to select rural geographies and access educational attainment data for different population groups.

4-4:30 P.M.  EDUCATION IN RURAL AREAS: DATA FROM NCES RESOURCE HUBS
Presenters: Dr. Jerry Johnson, Professor of Educational Leadership, East Carolina University and Dr. Xiaolei Wang, Statistician, National Center for Education Statistics
Room: 202

The representative from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) will explore resources and tiered data products available on the websites: Education Across America (EAA): Cities, Suburbs, Towns, and Rural Areas. EAA is designed for those who are interested in the condition of education in different geographic locales in the United States (i.e., cities, suburbs, towns, and rural areas). The representative from the Rural Education Institute will discuss applied use of these resources to inform research, policy, and practice, including specific examples.

TRACK 2: ADVOCACY SESSION

Hosted by policy leaders and lobbyists from the National Education Association (NEA), the Advocacy track is designed to help you develop and apply your advocacy skills.

2:30-4:30 P.M. BRINGING THE RURAL VOICE TO THE TABLE: ADVOCACY
Presenters: Deb Koolbeck, Federal Lobbyist, National Education Association & Colleagues
Room: 203 & 204

“If you are not at the table, you are on the menu.” ~Anonymous
In this interactive session, engage in getting the rural voice at the table through effective advocacy strategies and practices for the local, state, regional, and federal levels. Built to support those new or nervous about advocacy, while augmenting the skills of seasoned advocates. Bring your expertise, stories, and experiences to the advocacy table, and practice skills newly learned or take your current skills to a new level to get the Rural Voice at the table, whether it is a table for funding, legislation, collaboration/partnerships, policies or another critical area to the communities you serve.