Jay Rockefeller: “I was proud to join Senator Baucus from Montana in introducing legislation on Tuesday to establish an Office of Rural…”

“I was proud to join Senator Baucus from Montana in introducing legislation on Tuesday to establish an Office of Rural Education Policy at the Department of Education. Senator Baucus has been a tireless advocate for many issues affecting rural States like Montana and West Virginia, and I have been proud to work with him on several rural issues over the years. Notably, Senator Baucus and I are fortunate to have terrific partners in our work to improve rural education, including a diverse array of organizations that support this bill. Nearly one quarter of the students in America attend rural schools and the share of students in rural schools is increasing and more than half of the schools in West Virginia are in rural areas. This legislation will support these schools because it creates an Office in the Department of Education to make sure that Federal programs related to education are working for students in schools in rural areas. Schools in rural communities face special challenges but, they also have unique capabilities. Many of them continue to face shrinking local tax bases, difficulties recruiting and retaining teachers and principals, limited access to advanced courses, and proportionally higher transportation costs. At the same time, while smaller schools lack economies of scale, they may benefit from this small size and closeness to their communities. Parental involvement and support is typically high, and the potential for innovation is great.…”