Rural K-12 Education: A Pandemic to Prosperity White Paper

Without a good education, prospects for a good job with good earnings are slim. A good education starts with a good foundation. Students who are reading proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to graduate from high school with a diploma than those who are not proficient readers and a high school graduate makes $6,000 more a year than someone without a high school degree.

Rural school systems in Louisiana currently comprise 50% of the 69 school districts and serve 18% of Louisiana  students. Rural school districts are also typically the largest single employer in the community and serve as the foundation for community development.