It has been all about partnerships since our organizational launch last April. The collaboration between Southern Illinois University and the Egyptian High School in Tamms, Illinois (pictured here) is a wonderful example of the type of work we strive to support.
The Rural School Collaborative's first fiscal year was a short one--two and a half months to be exact! We launched our website and inaugural Grants in Place program in mid-April, and June 30 rolled around rather quickly. However, we accomplished quite a bit in this brief time period: awarding more than 30 Grants in Place awards to outstanding rural teachers, setting up a capacity building grant program, and establishing an action plan to guide our work in the year ahead.
None of this would have been possible without our partners, volunteer board members, and a handful of donors--all willing to invest time, money, and resources in a new effort committed to strengthening rural schools and communities through thoughtful collaboration.
We hope you will enjoy looking through our annual report, and we encourage you to explore the Stories section of our website to see the very latest on our board members, advocates, partners, donors, and related news!
If you would like for us to mail you a hard copy of our annual report, we will be most happy to do so. Simply request a copy by emailing us at [email protected].
Out of the Classroom, Into Cahaba
November 25, 2025
Rural Teachers in Alabama practice Place-Based Education through the University of West Alabama and Teton Science Schools
Power of Partnerships, Black Belt, Northern Rockies, Place-Based Education
Celebrating Rural Teacher-Leaders: National Signature Project Award 2024-25 Winners
August 19, 2025
In partnership with the National Rural Education Association, Rural Schools Collaborative is proud to celebrate this year’s National Signature Project Awardees' accomplishments.
Power of Partnerships, Grants in Place, Mississippi, North Dakota, Place-Based Education
A Meaningful Mentorship Model: Maine New Teacher Academy Aims to Address Rural Teacher Retention
July 29, 2025
The New Teacher Academy at The University of Maine at Farmington Develops and Grows a Novel Mentorship Network