ECU, REI leads rural education state affiliate establishment
North Carolina will soon have a state affiliate to the National Rural Education Association (NREA).
The NREA is a professional organization that advocates for and provides valuable resources to rural school and community partners across the country. The Rural Education Institute (REI) at ECU partnered with NREA to establish a state affiliate that will be housed in Greenville during the establishment process.
REI serves as the epicenter for rural education research, teacher support and outreach with the goal of addressing educational disparities and ensuring access to high-quality instruction in rural areas.
“North Carolina has the second largest population of students in rural schools in the country,” said Dr. Kristen Cuthrell, a College of Education professor and director of REI. “In recent years and reports, North Carolina has jumped to the top with various rankings in terms of the need to address certain issues in rural education.”
NREA director Dr. Allen Pratt, left, visited schools in eastern North Carolina during his visit to the state. (Contributed by Dr. Kristen Cuthrell)
State affiliates offer each state the chance to create missions and services that best serve their population’s needs while also offering resources and advocacy at the national level.
“Each state has its own particular needs in terms of rural education and each state has its own characteristics and context for rural education,” Cuthrell said.
While ECU and REI have led the establishment of the affiliate, the goal is for it to be a resource for rural educators and communities across North Carolina, not only in the eastern part of the state.
“We have the opportunity to be the workhorse in establishing it but we’re founding it with partners,” Cuthrell said. “For the state affiliate to be something that’s worthwhile and meaningful for people in our state, it needs to be co-owned, co-developed, and co-created by others.”
REI has brought together superintendents, teachers, human resources personnel and government representatives, among others, to serve as an advisory committee for the affiliate. During their first meeting, Dr. Allen Pratt, the NREA director, visited eastern North Carolina to discuss the startup process and to view rural schools in Washington, Pitt and Greene counties.
“He wanted to get a feel for what rural means in eastern North Carolina so that prompted a driving tour of different counties,” Cuthrell said. “He got the sense of the whole package when it comes to students’ education.”
Bringing educators together from across the state is important but being able to connect them to rural educators nationally is key.
“We were able to take a lot of people to the national conference and when people get out of their county and talk to others, they realize that they’re all dealing with the same issues,” she said.
Cuthrell said the goal is to elevate the voice of rural educators and advocate for what would be best for the children and families in rural areas.
“There’s a lot happening in rural education nationally and we’re eager to give folks in our state a voice and a shared table to speak about what’s most important to them in rural education,” Cuthrell said. “ECU and REI are committed to launching this on a strong foundation.”
-by Kristen Martin, University Communications