Research Reports

The purpose of this research was to: 1) understand the specific problems that rural school districts encountered during the pandemic; 2) learn how these districts responded to their unique challenges; and 3) identify the policies, practices, and resources that are needed for Pennsylvania rural schools to be better prepared for the next emergency that could close schools for an extended period.

The number of students enrolled in early education (EE) through 12th grade in Pennsylvania public schools influences the demand for teachers. There has been - and will continue to be a decline in the number of EE-12 students across the state. The declines will be greatest for rural districts, thus rural districts will experience a greater decrease in the demand for teachers than elsewhere in the state. In addition, there has been a slight decline in the student-teacher ratio over the past 6 years. Policymakers should focus on additional and improving data collection regarding educator supply, demand, and shortages. The final policy suggestion is for state leaders to highlight the benefits of entering the teaching profession.