Student Population Change in Rural Illinois Schools and Its Implications for School Leaders

Ian C Kinkley,John T Yun

doi:10.35608/ruraled.v40i1.532

Abstract

This paper examines rural public school student population change in Illinois and explores the implications of these changes on educational leadership. Secondary analysis of 16 years of data from NCES Common Core of Data Universe Surveys illuminates population change in terms of student enrollment and demographic characteristics. Findings suggest that these changes have occurred over the 16 year period and present potentially considerable challenges for school leaders especially given the broader state climate.

Highlights

This paper examines rural public school student population change in Illinois and explores the implications of these changes on educational leadership
Illinois remains a state in financial turmoil in terms of education funding and, containing the 5th largest total of Local Education Agency (LEA) and 4th largest total of public schools in the U.S during the 2013-2014 school year (Glander, 2015b), remains a state that is critical towards understanding how these contexts influence and shape how leaders and schools function in rural locales
We seek to explore population change in Illinois rural public schools and how it connects to existing literature and research on education leadership

Summary

Introduction

This paper examines rural public school student population change in Illinois and explores the implications of these changes on educational leadership. Illinois remains a state in financial turmoil in terms of education funding and, containing the 5th largest total of LEAs and 4th largest total of public schools in the U.S during the 2013-2014 school year (Glander, 2015b), remains a state that is critical towards understanding how these contexts influence and shape how leaders and schools function in rural locales. Amidst this financial turmoil that frames the backdrop of the Illinois education climate, there are other changes at work that may shape and influence public education: population change, decline. We will explore literature on rural school leadership to help frame the current understanding of rural leadership and we will explore literature on population change to frame the economic and social theories and observed phenomena in rural places

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Discussion

Conclusion