Dismantling of the Department of Education brings uncertainty for rural schools  

By: Kyndall Hanson, Elizabeth Hill, & Janae Neely – education reporters  

Many rural school districts utilize federal funding to support initiatives and resources to support underserved and low-income student populations. Recent federal actions have called for the closure of the Department of Education, reducing the staffing of the department and its role in supporting public education on the national level. Charles Lowery, associate professor of educational leadership in the School of Education at Virginia Tech, discusses the potential impact of the closure on local schools, students, and educators.