Rural Education Investment Crucial for Local Economies and Student Futures
A recent opinion piece highlights the importance of investing in rural education to bolster local economies and help students build a future close to home. Community colleges play a vital role in driving economic mobility in rural areas, but face distinct challenges, including declining enrollment and persistent poverty.
Rural communities across the United States face significant economic challenges, with more than half of their populations struggling to afford basic household necessities and 15 percent living below the poverty line.
Like many rural areas, Morgan County, Tennessee, is a community shaped by strong relationships, deep attachment to place, and a shared commitment to its future. However, it also faces real economic challenges.
The efforts of Roane State Community College to reshape what student success means are crucial in addressing these challenges. The school aims to strengthen the long-term economic vitality of the entire region by helping individual students earn credentials and expanding access to postsecondary education.
Community colleges are the main driver of economic mobility in many areas. By creating clearer pathways into sustainable local careers and working alongside employers, schools, and community organizations, they help ensure that residents can build stable futures close to home.
Rural higher education has never been a high national priority, even though these institutions are not only educators but also employers, workforce hubs, and cultural centers. America's roughly 1,000 rural colleges and regional universities are facing distinct challenges, including declining enrollment and persistent poverty.
Economic pressures are already shaping what institutions can offer, causing reductions in programs and constraints on capacity. At the same time, these schools must stretch every dollar to address not only the academic needs of their students but also their basic needs.
Successful rural community colleges are building pathways to help students find work that leads to sustainable careers at a time of significant economic change. They are redesigning programs to align with emerging industries, partnering with business and community organizations, and reaching beyond their walls to support out-of-school learners.
Roane State embodies this approach by working in partnership with mayors, school leaders, local companies, and community groups to bolster the economic prospects of the entire region.
Other rural colleges are taking similar initiatives, including Louisiana State University at Eunice, Columbia-Greene Community College in New York, and Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College.
Although rural students complete high school at a higher rate than the national average, reports show that only 29 percent of young adults (18- to 24-year-olds) in rural areas enroll in college compared to 42 percent of those in suburban areas and 48 percent in urban areas.
Research also shows a 12-percentage-point gap between bachelor's degree attainment in rural areas and urban communities. Rural employers struggle to fill critical roles in teaching, health care, and other skilled fields like accounting.
To address these challenges, a historic investment in the National Rural Higher Education Research Center is crucial. The Center will evaluate "what works" for rural students and colleges, identifying and evaluating strategies that build on rural strengths to expand opportunity, increase credential completion, and strengthen local economies.
The Center's research will explore how rural students transition from high school, choose institutions, persist, and enter the workforce, recognizing that different rural regions face different challenges and opportunities.
Achieving the Dream is a Center affiliate organization, creating information-sharing channels between colleges, strengthening partnerships, and helping find practical solutions that work for students and communities.
The goal is practical, actionable research that helps institutions understand what is likely to work for their students and regions - not simply what worked somewhere else.
## Strategies for Rural Community Colleges
| Institution | Digital Skills Badges | Health Care Partnership | Microcredentials | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Roane State Community College | | | | | Louisiana State University at Eunice | | | | | Columbia-Greene Community College in New York | | | | | Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College | | | |
## The Importance of Rural Education Research
Rural higher education has never been a high national priority, even though these institutions are not only educators but also employers, workforce hubs, and cultural centers. America's roughly 1,000 rural colleges and regional universities are facing distinct challenges, including declining enrollment and persistent poverty.
Economic pressures are already shaping what institutions can offer, causing reductions in programs and constraints on capacity. At the same time, these schools must stretch every dollar to address not only the academic needs of their students but also their basic needs.
To address these challenges, a historic investment in the National Rural Higher Education Research Center is crucial. The Center will evaluate "what works" for rural students and colleges, identifying and evaluating strategies that build on rural strengths to expand opportunity, increase credential completion, and strengthen local economies.
## Conclusion
Rural education investment is crucial for local economies and student futures. Community colleges play a vital role in driving economic mobility in rural areas, but face distinct challenges. By evaluating "what works" for rural students and colleges, the National Rural Higher Education Research Center can help identify and implement effective strategies to address these challenges and build a brighter future for rural communities.
