Report: enrollment down, poverty up in rural schools

“Rural school districts in New York state face a double dilemma in declining enrollment and increasing poverty, with the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier among the hardest-hit regions, according to a new report. From 2005 to 2015, schools in both regions collectively lost more than 14 percent of their enrollment, more than any other region in the state. As poverty rates grow in rural New York, districts are facing difficult choices in terms of staff retention, class sizes and offerings for students.”