FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 29, 1999
CONTACTS: Kathy Westra, (703) 243-1487

Rural School and Community Trust to Continue
School Reform Effort Begun by Annenberg Rural Challenge
Nonprofit Group Will Have
New Name, President, and National Headquarters on October 1

Washington, DC -- The nonprofit organization working to reform public education in rural America will have a new name, a new president, and a new national headquarters beginning October 1. The Rural School and Community Trust (Rural Trust) is the new name of the Annenberg Rural Challenge, which was formed in 1995 to fulfill a five-year, $50 million challenge grant to America's rural public schools by former Ambassador Walter Annenberg. Because the name "Annenberg Rural Challenge" has been associated so closely with grant-making, which will no longer be a part of the organization's mission, the Board felt that it was critical to establish a new name as the group continues the school-reform work begun by the Rural Challenge in 1995. The name change coincides with the appointment of a new president, Dr. Rachel B. Tompkins, and the establishment of a new national headquarters at 1530 Wilson Blvd., Suite 240, Arlington, VA 22209.

"Our original grant from the Annenberg Foundation allowed us to jump-start a rural school reform movement that now involves thousands of students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members in 33 states," said Tompkins. "But much remains to be done. With the Rural School and Community Trust, we hope to give rural schools and their communities a national voice, to build a national constituency for rural education, and to continue our public policy research and community organizing work to help shape policies that support and sustain rural people and their community-based schools."

The Rural School and Community Trust (Rural Trust) is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to enlarging student learning and improving community life by strengthening relationships between rural schools and communities and engaging students in community-based public work. Through advocacy, research, and publications, the Rural Trust strives to create a more favorable policy environment for rural community perspectives on schooling, for student work with a public audience and use, and for more active community participation in schooling. Founded as the Annenberg Rural Challenge in 1995, the Rural Trust today partners with place-based education programs in more than 700 rural elementary and secondary schools in 33 states.