The isolation and uncertainty of the pandemic are driving the dramatic drop in numbers, threatening the already precarious economies of these areas and widening their socioeconomic drift.

Many American schools are back in class via distance learning. It's stressful everywhere but especially in rural districts where most students lack high-speed Internet and cell phone service at home.

Budgets run tight in Georgia Public Schools, especially in rural communities. Some have been forced to reduce arts programs over the years to shift...