Nearly half of the students in North Carolina attend rural schools - only one state in the country has more. For decades, the formula that funds schools at the state and national level has favored urban and suburban schools. That has led to a crisis in North Carolina’s small communities:  historically high drop-out rates, low test scores, and a high teacher turnover rate.

WUNC Reporter Dave DeWitt visits Warren County to bring listeners the latest edition of the award-winning North Carolina Voices series. He tells the stories of students with big dreams - and even bigger challenges; teachers who take less money to try to make a dent in the achievement gap; and the innovative efforts underway that are showing promise.

There reports are part of the on-going North Carolina Voices series from North Carolina Public Radio - WUNC. This page will be updated daily September 16-18, 2009.  The series airs during Morning Edition on WUNC.

Hurdles And Hope In Warren County

Wednesday, September 16 2009 by Dave DeWitt | Send to a friend

Warren County (Photo: Dave DeWitt)

North Carolina has more students attending rural schools than all but one state in the country. From Cherokee to Northampton, these schools are the central gathering places for their communities, bringing people together for Friday night football games, theater productions, and concerts.

But many of these rural schools are in crisis. They’ve faced years of government neglect and inadequate funding. The best and brightest students are graduating and moving away - and teachers who do come don’t stay very long.

In the first installment of our series North Carolina Voices: Rural Education, reporter Dave DeWitt takes a look at the plight of rural schools in North Carolina.

Warrenenton  (Photo: Dave DeWitt)

Retaining Teachers Is The Problem That Won't Go Away

Thursday, September 17 2009 by Dave DeWitt | Send to a friend

Warren County Courthouse, Warren County, NC (Photo: Dave DeWitt)

North Carolina’s rural schools are struggling. For decades, schools in small towns and isolated counties have tried to serve the poorest students with limited resources. In Halifax County, the state has been forced to intervene after Judge Howard Manning called the situation there “academic genocide.”

Neighboring Warren County hasn’t reached that extreme, but it still suffers from many of the same problems. At the top of the list is retaining qualified teachers.

In the second installment of our series, North Carolina Voices: Rural Education, Dave DeWitt reports that recruiting and keeping teachers in rural districts has become the problem that won’t go away.

Additional Audio For This Story:

Ryan Hurley: English Teacher, Warren Early College High School

June Atkinson: Superintendent of North Carolina Schools

Innovation In Warren County Has Educators And Parents Optimistic for the future

Friday, September 18 2009 by Dave DeWitt | Send to a friend

William Hendrickson teaching AP Biology at Warren New Tech High School (Photo: Dave DeWitt)

North Carolina’s history is filled with educational innovation. From the North Carolina School of Science and Math to Smart Start, leaders have long pushed for new and promising ideas to better educate students. But for every innovation that succeeds, many fail.

That’s especially true in the state’s rural schools. Money there is tighter and the problems more persistent - teacher retention, dropouts, even teen pregnancy.

In the final installment of our series North Carolina Voices: Rural Education, Dave DeWitt visits two new high schools in Warren County that have people there optimistic for the first time in a long while.

Additional Audio for This Story:

William Hendrickson: Biology Teacher, Warren New Tech High School

 Danylu Hundley: Principal, Warren Early College High School

Tony Habit: President, North Carolina New Schools Project

This series made possible with funding from: