NRS association director Jack Knowles urges local focus on rural schools, warns of teacher shortages

Jack Knowles, executive director of the Nebraska Rural Schools Association, told Arlington trustees that recruitment and retention remain critical challenges for rural and small districts, and he described services his organization provides to members.

Knowles urged local-focused advocacy and described membership benefits including a purchase-card program, planning support and scholarships aimed at encouraging students into education careers. "If you think you're rural, you're rural," Knowles said, describing the association’s inclusive membership definition. He also noted the association’s scholarship activity: "For about the last 4 years, we've given out 22 $2,000 scholarships," he said, adding that many of those awards support students pursuing careers in education.

Knowles summarized legislative issues he is tracking—including LB71 (parental-involvement/retention and preschool counting), LB1329 (multiple provisions affecting districts) and LB1254 (teacher-retention and related grants and incentives)—and described a teletherapy mental-health service NRSA has begun promoting for both students and staff.

Board members asked for clarification about the definition of 'rural' and how membership services might be used locally. Knowles offered follow-up materials and encouraged trustees to contact him for sample programs and scholarship details.

The presentation was informational; no action was required.