Many rural districts — and school leaders in rural areas — are finding that they can accomplish more by partnering with neighboring districts and participating in networks in which they share curriculum resources, professional development and other areas of expertise.
The California Rural Education Network, for example, provides members with information and professional development materials targeted specifically to schools in rural areas. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has also shifted its education funding priorities to focus on how schools can improve outcomes for students, particularly at the secondary level, by participating in networks.
