Children and youth in rural areas represent a substantial proportion of U.S. students. More than 9.3 million students—or nearly one in five students in the U.S.—attend a rural school, and nearly half of those rural students live at or below the poverty line (Showalter et al. 2019). Given the increased levels of stress, anxiety, and trauma experienced as a result of the pandemic, by both children and adults, many educators are seeking guidance to support students by implementing trauma-informed (TI) practices in schools.
School communities in both urban and rural settings need TI supports; however, the adversities experienced and access to student supports may be unique to rural school communities. In addition, the contextual challenges experienced by rural schools and communities, as well as the strengths that can be drawn from them, will require adaptations of the TI approaches. Therefore, this research brief seeks to highlight the need for, and the importance of, implementing TI approaches in rural school communities, and shares recommendations for planning and implementation by schools and districts. The brief is intended for educators, leaders, and practitioners at the school, district, and state level who are in the initial stages of considering TI approaches and/or planning the implementation process.