A new report by LFA and Grunwald Associates, with support from AT&T, examines how parents perceive the value of mobile devices, how they see their children using mobiles, and what they think of the possibilities for mobile learning.
New Mexico Initiative Revitalizes Schools and Their Communities
Story posted April 28, 2011
Results:
- RRI projects have improved school attendance, decreased discipline problems, and resulted in more active student engagement
- RRI has allowed more students to take dual credit classes and provided educational and job opportunities for community adults
- RRI districts have an impressive number of school-business-community partnerships with local businesses, state agencies, national organizations, and colleges and universities
A major problem facing rural schools is the current trend toward lessening economic opportunity in their communities. When the economic climate is poor, local schools have fewer resources, and when job options seem dismal, students have less incentive to put forth effort in school.
State officials in New Mexico recognize this problem, and have developed a comprehensive approach to revitalizing rural communities that puts schools—and students—at its core.
The New Mexico Rural Revitalization Initiave
Modeled after a successful rural revitalization program in South Australia, the New Mexico Rural Revitalization Initiative (NMRRI) engages a committee of stakeholders to participate in “extended discovery conversations” with representatives of the state’s Rural Education Bureau and the Center for RelationaLearning about the future of their community.
These conversations (in which both the mayor and the superintendent of schools must participate) lead to plans to make that future a reality. It is understood that the school will play a significant role in these efforts in a number of ways -- by opening the school to the community during non-school hours, community education and involving students in the community’s economic activities.
Many NMRRI sites (the program currently works with 28 of the state’s 45 rural school districts) feature place-based education. Place-based education provides students with a real-world application for the content knowledge they are gaining, removing learning from confines of the school building.
Improving Community Housing
One such site is Loving, which has long suffered a housing shortage. With funding from NMRRI and the Microsoft Partners in Learning Program, interested high school students now work with experienced members of the construction industry (including carpenters, electricians, plumbers, computer programmers, and architects) to build low cost, energy efficient homes in the community. They can also enroll in related dual-credit courses in a branch of New Mexico State University. Graduates who go through the program and choose to work in their specialty can have one year of a five year journeyman requirement waived.
In addition to the work with housing, though NMRRI the Loving community has also developed a library and story-telling program and began a distance-learning program for high school seniors to expand curricular options.
Growing Green
A startup grant from NMRRI allowed students, teachers, administrators and community members in Fort Sumner to rebuild a school greenhouse to grow houseplants to sell. Students learned to care for the plants and develop business plans.
As nearby communities became aware of the project, they began placing orders. Soon a community member donated an empty storefront on the town’s Main Street to sell plants grown at the school’s greenhouse and arts and crafts created by local residents. The business, Growing Green, was sold to a local businessman but still employs the students who helped create it.
Other Outcomes
NMRRI programs are taking hold all around rural New Mexico. And as intended, it is not just the community that benefits. The program is credited with improving attendance and reducing discipline problems in rural schools. It is also credited with increasing both enrollment in adult education programs and volunteerism in schools and communities.
A general renewed interest in academic pursuits exists in these communities. And that is perhaps the greatest way in which a community can support its schools.
Update: July 28, 2011: Unfortunately, personal communication with former New Mexico Department of Education Official Gerald R. Pitzel indicates that NMRRI has been eliminated for budgetary reasons.
This story was adapted from a post LFA's Anne O'Brien wrote for the Edutopia blog page.
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