New England

The University of Maine is building a system of robust, rural-focused programs supporting small towns and rural schools across the state, and heads up the collaborative network of like-minded advocates and organizations throughout the larger New England region consisting of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Catharine Biddle, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at UMaine, serves as the New England hub contact.

As Maine's flagship public university, The University of Maine (UMaine) has a statewide mission of teaching, research and economic development, and community service, and is the state's public research university. The New England Region has long been an exemplar of school-community engagement, excellent rural educators, and place-based education. UMaine recently received Catalyst Initiative Grant funding for a Rural Teacher Corp, which will continue to enrich their support of communities across one of America’s most rural states.

UMaine has diverse pathways for supporting rural schools and communities, including:

• Cultivating educational partnerships and practices that sustain healthy and equitable developmental ecologies for rural youth

• STEM-focused rural education projects

• An initiative to train early childhood special educators and other professionals in Maine to serve pre-school aged children with intensive communication needs

• A Rural Leadership Program in partnership with the University of Maine at Presque Isle

• A growing program in Outdoor Leadership

RSC’s New England Hub, which includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, offers an opportunity to deepen collaboration across the region and beyond. Biddle is working to form an advisory board with representatives from each state in order to guide the work of the Hub. To learn more about the exciting developments across New England, explore below.