Missouri

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks' is a national leader in place-based Philanthropy, supporting education, resource development, community grant-making, collaboration and public leadership across southwestern Missouri and the greater Ozarks region. Beth Hersh, Director of Scholarships, coordinates RSC’s partnership with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.

RSC’s long-standing relationship with so many educational leaders in the Missouri Ozarks is a source of pride and confirmation that investing in rural communities is essential to their stability and success. This proud shared history is a testament to the innovative and collaborative spirit of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, whose emphasis on partnership has uplifted education throughout the Ozark region of Missouri. Recently, CFO’s Ozarks Teacher Corps was recognized nationally for its excellence.

• Ozarks Teacher Corps: An endowed program that supports the development of teacher-leaders for rural Ozarks school districts. Built on working partnerships with Missouri State University--West Plains and Drury University, the Ozarks Teacher Corps has a placement/retention rate of 93%. In the spring of 2019 an extensive report was released on the impact of the Ozarks Teacher Corps.

• Coover Regional Place-Based Grants Program: Since its inception this effort has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to place-based education efforts throughout the region. This is the flagship program of the Rural Schools Collaborative's Grants in Place program.

• School Foundation Building: The Rural Schools Partnership works with more than 70 rural school foundations and has created more than $27 million in permanent rural education assets.

Missouri State University

The Center for Rural Education housed at Missouri State University (MSU) leads MSU’s work to organize and promote rural school outreach and partnerships. Dr. Barri Tinkler, Dean of the College of Education at Missouri State University, coordinates RSC’s partnership with Missouri State.

Missouri State University opened the Center for Rural Education in 2023, which is co-led by Drs. Denise Cunningham and Rhonda Bishop. Housed in the College of Education, the center serves as a hub to organize and promote rural school outreach and partnerships.

The Center for Rural Education was established to serve Missouri’s rural schools, and has four main areas of focus:

• Develop and sustain school and community partnerships.
• Establish a teacher pipeline.
• Retain and support rural teachers.
• Seek and secure external funding to promote research and advocacy.

Missouri State is one of five intermediaries that facilitate the rural cohort of the GRAD Partnership, with additional support from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. The GRAD Partnership for Advancing Student Success Systems is a national initiative that encourages and supports communities in efforts to use high quality student success systems that empower schools to graduate all students ready for the future.

University of Central Missouri

The University of Central Missouri’s College of Education is dedicated to strengthening rural education by supporting educators, fostering collaboration, and enhancing opportunities for rural students, highlighted by its Rural Schools Initiative. Dr. Charlene Atkins, Professor of Mathematics Education and Rural Schools Initiative Coordinator, serves as the hub contact.

Based out of Warrensburg, MO, the University of Central Missouri is RSC's newest partner in the Missouri Hub. Serving the largely-rural region of central Missouri, UCM is a leader in preparing quality educators to work in rural schools and supporting rural districts through professional development, partnerships, and research. At a glance, these are programs that support rural education at UCM:

• Professional Development – UCM offers workshops, webinars, and mentoring opportunities tailored to the needs of rural administrators and educators.

• Teacher Recruitment & Retention – UCM supports future and current rural educators through specialized programs, some leading to advanced certification.

• Technology & Innovation – UCM assists rural schools in integrating educational technology and computer science, ensuring students have access to high-quality STEM learning opportunities.

• Advocacy & Leadership – UCM ensures that rural voices are heard by engaging in state-level education initiatives and advisory councils.

• Collaborative Networks – UCM connects rural educators, school leaders, and teacher candidates through events like the Rural Schools Summit, fostering community and shared learning.

• Para-Professional Pathways – flexible pathways for para-professionals in rural districts to earn teaching credentials, helping schools grow their own educators and address teacher shortages.

• Dual Credit Opportunities –UCM partners with rural high schools to expand access to dual credit courses, allowing students to earn college credit while remaining in their home communities, helping them prepare for postsecondary education or careers in teaching.