Welcome

The vast majority of Utah is rural, though only a small portion of Utahns live and work in rural parts of the state. Rural schools educate about 15% of Utah’s students, spread over a wide and varied geography. Utah’s rural educators concerned about the challenges facing their schools requested that Utah Foundation analyze educational inputs and outputs to determine whether students in these areas are receiving opportunities for success comparable to non-rural students.

 
Utah’s rural schools face significant educational challenges. They have greater difficulties than non-rural schools in hiring teachers, finding teachers with specialties, and finding teachers who teach multiple subjects. Rural schools also come up short in offering the wide array of courses that non-rural schools offer.
 
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Mission Statement

Rural schools educate about 15% of Utah’s students, spread over a wide and varied geography.

 

Our Purpose

Improve instruction in rural elementary and secondary schools.

Our Mission

Advocate for educational equity and adequacy in Utah's rural schools.

Our Goals

  • Help rural schools and districts identify and meet their educational goals.

  • Improve communication among rural schools, the State Office of Education, and institutions of higher learning.

  • Coordinate programs and activities, provide sharing of services, resources and information among URSA members.

  • Provide a unified voice to all citizenry, local boards, elected public officials, and legislative bodies that impact Utah's rural schools.

  • Encourage the development of stronger pre-service and in-service training of teachers and administrators.