R Street Institute
Policy Studies

Surveying The Postsecondary Landscape In Rural America

by Andy Smarick
March 27, 2020
Download PDF Print

Author

Andy Smarick
Former Director, Civil Society, Education and Work; Resident Senior Fellow

Key Points

Much attention is paid to urban America and its schools—and for good reason. Cities are home to millions of students, concentrated poverty and struggling schools. But fully 60 percent of U.S. counties are mostly or completely rural, and they are home to 14 percent of the nation’s population. Nearly 1 in 3 K-12 schools are in rural America, as well as 1 in 5 students.

While rural America does face many challenges, there is also reason for encouragement. Although there are fewer rural adults with college degrees and rural students enroll in fewer in AP courses, rural students in 3 of the 4 states studied appear to matriculate to college at similar rates as their peers from cities, suburbs and towns.

Because of strong community cohesion and trust in their long-standing local institutions, rural residents may be skeptical of efforts to fundamentally reform foundational elements of their social, occupational and educational fabric. And because the backstories and defining characteristics of different rural communities can be so different, any rural engagement effort should be mindful of the particular histories of distinct communities.

Press Release

Understanding Rural Education Requires a Reexamination of Community

Introduction

Much attention is paid to urban America and its schools—and for good reason. Cities are home to millions of kids, concentrated poverty and struggling schools. But fully 60 percent of U.S. counties are mostly or completely rural, and they are home to 14 percent of the nation’s population. Nearly 1 in 3 K-12 schools are in rural America, as well as 1 in 5 students.

Rural schools have many strengths. For example, they boast high graduation rates and are generally popular with their communities. But, rural America also struggles with persistent poverty, high unemployment and poor health outcomes. One key educational challenge is relatively low attainment among adults: Fewer rural adults hold a postsecondary credential compared with adults in urban areas. This has significant economic consequences, which will only grow as more and more jobs require training and credentials beyond high school.

Low educational attainment has other consequences for rural America. For example, a report on the “brain drain,” published by the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress in April 2019 argues that American polarization originates in our educational divide…

Read the rest of the Introduction, as well as the full study here.

Featured Publications