Toward a Transdisciplinary Rural Education Research Agenda

Numerous studies have found that mentoring has a positive effect on students who participate in it. Mentorship for students in rural communities is both necessary and challenging given the uphill battle these schools and communities face to improve their students’ academic achievement and emotional well-being. Through examining teacher, parent, and student perceptions of the TeamMates Mentoring Program in a rural Nebraska district, this study concluded that TeamMates is providing necessary social and emotional support to its mentees in rural schools, as well as encouraging them to improve their grades. However, TeamMates must continue to heighten its support of low-achieving students and to help fulfill students’ long-term goals.