Subject: New Report Finds Culture Shapes Education Success for Students in Middle Appalachia
From: CNA Education <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2015 13:04:23 -0400

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Culture Shapes Education Success for Students in Middle Appalachia
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ARLINGTON, Va. - CNA Education released a report that finds that academic achievement
and attitudes toward education in "Middle Appalachia" are shaped by regional culture,
including a deep attachment to place, strong kinship ties, ambivalence toward formal
education, chronic poverty, and geographic isolation. Overall, the findings suggest
that Middle Appalachia is closing the education and economic gaps with other parts
of the country, but much work and research remain necessary to provide equitable
 opportunities to all students.
CNA Education is a division of CNA, a non-profit research and analysis organization
located in Arlington, Virginia.
The report, Appalachia Rising, spotlights five education topics of national priority:
college and career readiness, educator effectiveness, access to high-quality curriculum
and instruction, systemic capacity, and health and wellness.
CNA researchers reviewed more than 275 studies written over the past 20 years (1995-2015)
on education in the area dubbed "Middle Appalachia" - mostly contiguous portions
 of Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia in the
heart of the Appalachian Mountains. No such study had been done since the early 
1980s.
"Schools in Middle Appalachia face region-specific challenges in motivating high
 achievement for all students," said Stacey Jordan, vice president and director 
of education at CNA. "Many exciting educational initiatives are underway in the 
region and P-12 indicators are improving, but higher education attainment continues
to lag behind the rest of the nation. Our hope is that this review will provide 
policymakers, practitioners, and researchers with critical information to understand
and begin to address education challenges unique to Middle Appalachia through data-informed
initiatives."
Key findings include:

* High school graduation rates in Middle Appalachia have been increasing for decades
and now exceed national averages.
* Appalachian culture (e.g., attitudes toward education, attachment to family and
place, and commitment to the region) influences education improvement initiatives.
* The teaching force is stable, but effectiveness is a concern, especially in science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM) areas and in instructional leadership.
* Teaching externally generated, rigorous academic standards that may not resonate
with all local residents is a challenge.
* Rising rates of substance abuse and childhood obesity are a concern because of
 the relationship among general fitness, obesity, and academic performance.
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For the latest on CNA Education's capabilities and services, or to speak with one
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www.cna.org [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001SAuHTJNUqySMcfJyvXzonlNpC-pSl7AmWto_DoJor-u_EqQCar0WtKMPFtrwEMGg7g5Xjr7QnOiSaAQjnAev4IH0mfw_aCC73WkcHLvzbsR41cP5P1hLQc_rfWWAxG7HeL1YL6BYw227IOxElp1AwFVjwatkKyB-Xk25I04-bQk79JO0lUoxERzCb7zdY9fNzxohj585oak2X3ydsNTRFJce8oPDtKj2KqSKvyBk3V71_AaNciMKgYoALvIuJbfjIF8JurXS3sWvYcn1CWbG52YU1MKPFFh76vm1hKmWM-xOrzvX8U2bgw==&c=LvQBgQrf9XWzVNiGnVaxRH-32j2vL8pTp0cVUzzD0Cepfe2oxfXrtA==&ch=ug5UG1c_pocU0_WYPs51A03HvbuhOP12seuZFJzjSyN3QQt8ktSLYw==]
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Based on the research, the report suggests next steps:

* College and career readiness efforts should be closely aligned with current and
future career opportunities as well as regional community development needs.
* Educator preservice and inservice programs should focus on teacher content knowledge,
particularly in mathematics and science, and on recruiting local teacher candidates
in hard-to-staff content and program areas such as math, science, and special education.
* Curriculum and instruction might be made more challenging, relevant, and engaging
through the integration of place-based approaches to teaching rigorous academic 
standards.
* Systemic capacity can be enhanced by building on partnerships and lessons learned
from prior initiatives; and by involving regional universities, parents, and community
leaders to ensure relevance and buy-in.
* Educators will need guidance on effective school-based prevention programs for
 addressing health and wellness issues.
The report also highlighted areas for further research, including college enrollment
and completion; Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs; improving teacher
 and leader effectiveness; and implementation, impact, and sustainability of curriculum
and instruction improvement initiatives.
A snapshot of report highlights and can be found at:
www.cna.org//cna_files/pdf/Appalachia-Rising.pdf [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001SAuHTJNUqySMcfJyvXzonlNpC-pSl7AmWto_DoJor-u_EqQCar0WtA0NMGiG2j5H6NnfFa8VjrSky7scPCN12Wx3u-1Vt6KwwrkQ9bSXNqcvzyn_sbOxUIzPAcJ32EW7o60cbPoPRqowH45NhKqNKoIurl7PYrRk9IlPhuazG6-iWROmqCqXp4nP176e6RnaJIhdvJqI7LkxaNHuoGoMwM_EIwWFgh2OGQaKyO0sg5jPMg-g4rc01l9INmEVx4a8RGtMElmymKqhGIXcedtgJmax3N0SjME-pjHactkObSIYZY8q72Zugqao_fFNojjPSADliKvOVbV7rrErv2qdkyd8bRUwEJEHP9UnaheME0Y=&c=LvQBgQrf9XWzVNiGnVaxRH-32j2vL8pTp0cVUzzD0Cepfe2oxfXrtA==&ch=ug5UG1c_pocU0_WYPs51A03HvbuhOP12seuZFJzjSyN3QQt8ktSLYw==],
or to review the full report, please visit: www.cna.org/centers/ipr/education/publications
[http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001SAuHTJNUqySMcfJyvXzonlNpC-pSl7AmWto_DoJor-u_EqQCar0WtA0NMGiG2j5HdyBoZxXtizRQygAZoMTQlzrhLLhqnUwhZJKBwKmNg_TuXCk8ufzFuwtCCPvUFNc5k8VsbhX09YB0up-b2SG1IhmBprMxWlQ2KE6eY3f3v9wFo94CaBYVOl3AuckjAMxMYmY3pHWZvAjAU0QuM9PnzMi_k6SVqaL-84-Sg6g0XmE7n8mahb55S0Yk5N1jsSDCtL39SYjpYuC8y18_o-u-okHTvw96SRjHLA4aFLHyD5lhYWH__6057EOYyIQVGX_GXQH6xy8aDtQe-VZ6jU5MiTFiJdQT-oWHBXC1hcksi9A=&c=LvQBgQrf9XWzVNiGnVaxRH-32j2vL8pTp0cVUzzD0Cepfe2oxfXrtA==&ch=ug5UG1c_pocU0_WYPs51A03HvbuhOP12seuZFJzjSyN3QQt8ktSLYw==].
CNA is a nonprofit objective research and analysis organization headquartered in
 Arlington, Virginia. CNA Education is a division of its Institute for Public Research,
which provides high-level research and analysis services to federal, state, and 
local government agencies, and non-commercial clients working in the areas of education,
energy, water and climate, air traffic management, safety and security, and other
domestic issue areas.
For more information about this report, contact Liza Cordeiro at
[email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] or (202) 650-4456.
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703.824.2000  [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] www.cna.org/centers/education
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