Journal of Research in Rural Education joins K-State's open-access scholarship platform

K-State Libraries is bringing the Journal of Research in Rural Education, or JRRE, to New Prairie Press, the university's publisher for open-access scholarship, including journals, monographs, textbooks, conference proceedings and more.

JRRE has published 40 peer-reviewed, open-access volumes since its founding in 1982 and is the flagship journal for rural educational research.

The journal was established by the University of Maine in 1982, moved to Penn State University in 2008, and, in 2026, transitioned to the Rural Education Center, or REC, in K-State's College of Education.

Karen Eppley, associate professor and REC director, has edited the journal since 2015, alongside associate editors Jerry Johnson of East Carolina University and Mara Tieken of Bates College. This collaboration with K-State Libraries supports the journal's continued publication and open access mission.

"This move is an exciting new chapter for JRRE, K-State and the REC," Eppley said. "The journal will benefit from the College of Education's deep commitment to rural schools and communities and high-quality research. K-State is the right place to continue JRRE's four-decade legacy of publishing rigorous rural education scholarships.”

JRRE publishes salient empirical investigations, historical and philosophical analyses, scoping and critical literature reviews, theoretical pieces, and policy analyses from multiple disciplinary and methodological perspectives.

"We're excited and grateful to support the publication of JRRE through New Prairie Press," said Ryan Otto, associate professor and scholarly communication librarian for K-State Libraries. "Adding JRRE strengthens the Press's growing portfolio of journals focused on education, extension, agriculture, rural communities and communication research."

JRRE's addition also expands K-State Libraries' growing collection of scholarly publications, providing long-term access and discoverability for researchers and readers. Editorial and publishing workflows for the journal will be managed through New Prairie Press' publication platform, Janeway.

— Submitted by Lexi Liby