Sen. Yager Sponsoring Bill To Increase Opportunities For Rural Schools

Senator Ken Yager sponsoring a bill to promote increasing the opportunities for more educational tools and resources in rural schools.

As presented, the bill would require the Department of Education to establish a two-year pilot program for rural districts to partner together to expand access to high-quality, robust college and career pathways.

“The whole point of the partnership would be to then increase student outcomes and those partners would share best practices,” Yager said. “Perhaps technical equipment, the schools. Students in one program may take classes in another school where they offer a different program.”

For example, Yager said one school might have a welding program and another school might have an engineering program. He said by partnering together, students from both schools will be able to have educational opportunities they might not otherwise have.

“It’s the children we’re talking about and I think all of the children throughout the state ought to have the same opportunities and some of our students in rural counties don’t have the same resources,” Yager said. “So by allowing them to partner and pool resources, we are able to make sure our students have as much access to career and technical education opportunities as maybe some of the larger districts have.”

Yager said he believes the bill has support from his fellow legislators after initial conversations. He said the bill will be put in front of the education committee and then go before the House and the Senate for a vote.