To shape reform in rural education, it is necessary to understand the problems, as well as the strengths of rural social and educational communities. An analysis of demographic, economic, and educational trends shows that in rural areas in general, working populations are shrinking, economies are declining, and students are not competing well in college attendance and completion. For more than 85% of rural students nationwide, a college education culminating in a professional career remains out of reach. When rural economies were self-sufficient, perhaps educational opportunity did not matter as much, but today that is not the case. Over 100 students at Western Carolina University (North Carolina) were surveyed to investigate their experiences with rural life. Their responses were overwhelmingly positive, indicating a sense of home, family, community, and smallness of scale that represent the best qualities of rural life. It is curious that rural communities, which for so long have been marginalized by the dominant culture, have precisely the qualities for which the critics of American schools are now looking. For rural schools to be successful in combatting their problems, they will have to capitalize on the community and family ties that rural students rated as so important. Contains 23 references. (TD)
|
