Poster #10 - Rural Connect: Assessing a Model of Regional Learning Communities

• In Event: 35.081 - MTCC Poster Session Eight
  In Poster Session: 35.081-1 - Section 8 Poster Session 2

Abstract

Across the nation, teachers report a lack of support, low self-efficacy, and few opportunities for teacher leadership, and these realities are particularly evident in small and rural school districts. Developed to address falling levels of teacher motivation and professionalism and increasing rates of turnover, Rural Connect is a network of Regional Learning Communities that combines innovative cross-district collaboration and leadership with goal-setting, feedback, and job-embedded, practice-connected support. The current study posits a model of Rural Connect’s effectiveness and provides a preliminary assessment of its impacts on student learning outcomes. Rural Connect participants exhibited significantly greater increases in End-of-Course exam performance than did a comparison group. Implications and future research needs are discussed.

Author

• Natalie Wright, CIC Planning Group