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Education gaps run deep in rural Tennessee, so community leaders there are working to bridge the divide.
The challenges include teacher shortages and geographic barriers in areas where one in five children lives in poverty.
Michelle Smith, community impact adviser for Save the Children Tennessee, said local efforts, like Cocke County’s “Countdown to Kindergarten” campaign, are driving real change through community partnerships.
“This campaign is based on research that they did in their district and in their school system to see what skills the young kindergartners entering needed the most support with,” Smith explained. “They were able to tailor those resources and provide age-appropriate learning activities.”
Smith pointed out that rural Tennessee communities also face resource gaps, with families traveling up to 45 minutes to get to schools, libraries, and grocery stores. She noted the isolation also limits education access, worsens teacher shortages, and strains support systems. Despite more than 20% of U.S. households living in rural areas, she emphasized that rural areas receive just 7% of philanthropic funding.
Nick Carrington, managing director of community impact for Save the Children, said education is a proven ladder out of poverty, and starting early is key. He added that rural children in 39 states face higher poverty rates than their urban counterparts. The group’s research shows most rural kids lack access to quality early learning within 10 miles.
“We’re currently working with 25 rural communities across eight states in what’s now a national network,” Carrington stressed. “We’re learning from them, and they’re learning from each other to strengthen their work.”
In Tennessee, 61% of 3- and 4-year-olds do not attend preschool, a figure that has crept up in the last decade. The state is seeing higher rates of fourth graders not reading at grade level and eighth graders not proficient in math. Save the Children said its programs and partners are working to help turn the numbers around.