Why Rural Matters Report - National Rural Education Association

The Why Rural Matters Report

The National Rural Education Association (NREA) is proud to publish Why Rural Matters — a long-standing series of reports that examine the contexts and conditions of rural education across all 50 states. This report continues the critical mission of drawing attention to the urgent need for policymakers, educators, and communities to address rural education challenges and opportunities within their own states.

Since its inception, the Why Rural Matters series has sought to make publicly available data more accessible and actionable. The overarching goal remains clear: to promote informed, civil dialogue about our shared civic responsibility to ensure that every student—rural or urban—has access to high-quality educational opportunities.

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Why Rural Matters 2025:

People, Place, & Possibility

This report continues the critical mission of drawing attention to the urgent need for policymakers, educators, and communities to address rural education challenges and opportunities within their own states. The analyses and data presented in Why Rural Matters 2025 are intended to inform policy discussions, guide decision-making, and inspire action.

New in this year’s edition is the inclusion of Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools. The report carefully distinguishes between “states” proper and BIE schools while underscoring their shared place in the broader rural education landscape.

Why Rural Matters 2023: Centering Equity and Opportunity

This report comes in the wake of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted the rural United States in many and varied ways that we are only beginning to understand. Why Rural Matters 2023 includes indicators related to well-being and equity, and two special topic sections on the impact of the pandemic on rural areas and alignment of the report with the National Rural Education Association’s Rural Research Agenda.