The Role of Rural Communities in the Postsecondary Preparation of Low-Income Students

Abstract

In the past decade, rural education has been critiqued for contributing to brain drain and social stratification that saps the human, social, and economic resources of rural communities. This article, based on an investigation of six small rural school districts in the same state, offers an alternative view of the role of community groups and individuals in the academic preparation and postsecondary aspirations of local low-income students. From the accounts of 79 school and community residents, we developed a typology that categorizes local stakeholders by their involvement in three common functions: program support, program directing, and program initiation/administration. These proeducational activities, in combination, support the necessary tasks of qualification, graduation, application, and aspiration. Results not only increase understanding about the ways rural communities support educational preparation, but also clarify the links between particular community behaviors and the completion of essential college-preparation tasks.

Notes

¹ The name of the state and related details have been withheld to protect the anonymity of district-level participants while enabling the researchers to describe local contexts in greater detail.

² All names are pseudonyms.