Views from Rural Nebraska
National Advisory Committee Office of Safe and Drug Free Communities January 16, 2007 Presented by Doug Swanson University of Nebraska – Lincoln 402-472-1762 dswanson8@unl.edu
Rural Nebraska
• Adams, population 489 • Nebraska: 476 of 617 towns are under 1000 people • Beatrice 13,000 pop. ranks11th largest • 1.7 million people in state • 11 counties in panhandle have 90,000 people
Nebraska School Class Size
• • • • • 28 districts – 275 to 650 33 districts – 80 to 274 58 districts – 42 to 79 118 districts – 20 to 41 70 districts – 8 to19
A snapshot into rural America
• Towns from 2,500 – 20,000 are considered major population areas • School many times only facility • Safe feeling, lack of acknowledgement
General Rural Issues
• Lack of knowledge about services • Stigma related to needing help • Substitute teachers are scarce – Effects training of staff • Schools are isolated from parents and community • Support for teachers necessary – Including mental health • Therapists are overloaded
Additional General Issues
• • • • • Lack of education focus in schools Communications challenges Untreated generational problems Schools left to deal with all issues Community partners – same people doing everything • Create own programs vs evidence based
Safety Concerns
• Bullying • Right person chosen for teams • Readily available law enforcement – Response time • “Never happen here” syndrome • Ability to comply • Law enforcement turnover
Alcohol and Drug Issues
• • • • • • “The way it’s done here” The bar is the community gathering spot Drug culture Family structure Meth Parents condone and / or support use
What’s Working
• Awareness and ownership of issues has increased through coalition activity, statistics, planning and grants • Safe and Drug Free Schools works • Coalitions, growing and working • Grants vital, get communities organized & started • Trend to mental health support in schools – social workers are being hired in school – allow teachers to teach – helps with stigma
What’s Working
• Connections made because of grants and government programs – coalitions – safety plans – crisis teams • Mental health in schools • Meth laws • Data collection • People (caring, dedicated, life long learners)
Challenges
• No Child Left Behind is a major stressor • Testing and standards instead of teaching • Grants come, find proven solutions, boards not making it a priority to continue • Schools turn down opportunities because of fear of looking bad
Summary
• • • • Sustainability Grant timing Community issues – not just school issues Coalition building