School leaders find themselves in constant reflection of their academic ranking in a time of national reform. With the No Child Left Behind Act and Every Student Succeeds Act, expectations around school and student performance are created to compare against national standards. Rural communities have undergone significant social and economic changes due to the decline of family farms, accompanied by people leaving and closing of businesses all which have dramatic effects on rural schools (Petrin, et. al. 2014). With increased attention on academic achievement at the state and federal level, it is imperative that we understand how rural schools address these changes both in the communities and within the school. My research was designed to explore expectations of school professionals, community members, and students as make decisions to stay or leave their communities. This is an exploration and description of school and community expectations as well as student expectations of themselves. My study is designed to inform the rural school district and communities in this northern New México town as well as to inform rural educators and leaders in a larger context
