National Rural Education Association Releases 2025 Why Rural Matters Report

TUCSON, Ariz. - Oct. 20, 2025 - PRLog -- The National Rural Education Association (NREA) is proud to launch the 2025 Why Rural Matters report, a project with a more than 20-year history of shaping the conversation about rural education. First conceptualized by the Rural Schools and Community Trust, the report has evolved into a vital resource for policymakers, educators, and communities.

The Why Rural Matters Report is published to examine how educational supports and resources for student well-being are being distributed, casting light on which rural children are most in need of additional support. The report provides a state-by-state look at a range of factors that affect rural students' education.

"The data in Why Rural Matters 2025 tell a clear story: rural schools are leading with creativity and resolve, even amid significant challenges," said Dr. Melissa Sadorf, Executive Director of the NREA. "Our task now is to use this information to drive collective action that ensures every rural student has the opportunity to flourish."

Why Rural Matters 2025, the 11th in the series, is being released during a period of significant change across the nation and the world. Many of these shifts influence rural education in the United States. The 2025 report highlights key trends and conditions as a foundation for discussion and action on issues affecting nearly 10 million students across the U.S.

"Rural schools educate nearly one in five students in the United States," said Jerry Johnson, EdD, researcher and co-author of Why Rural Matters 2025. "Our findings show both extraordinary strengths and persistent inequities that demand immediate policy attention."

The 2025 Report was released today at the National Forum to Advance Rural Education (NFARE), and the digital version is now available on NREA's website (http://nrea.net/wrm-2025).

Key findings for the 2025 Report Include:

• Changes in How Rural is Defined and Calculated, and Perhaps Other Reasons, Mean that States Will Have to Adjust Policy and Resources
• Data from Bureau of Indian Education Schools Demonstrate Dire Needs and Challenges
• The Rural Population Across the United States is Racially, Ethnically, and Linguistically Diverse
• Students in Rural Areas Have Fewer Health Care Supports than their Peers Across the United States
• Lower Mobility and Housing Insecurity Reflect Rural Community Resilience
• NAEP Scores Highlight Rural Successes Amidst Continuing Challenges

Data Regarding Challenges Faced by Rural Students:

• 1 in 7 rural students experiences poverty
• 1 in 15 is uninsured
• 1 in 10 doesn't graduate from high school
• 1 in 13 has changed residence in the previous 12 months

Top 10 Highest-Priority States in Rural Education:

1. Oklahoma
2. Arizona
3. Mississippi
4. Florida
5. Idaho
6. New Mexico
7. Missouri
8. South Carolina
9. South Dakota
10. Montana