Educational Opportunity for Rural Economic Opportunity?: A Rural Brain Drain

Photo by Trevor Wilson on Unsplash

What is the problem? I will, of course, develop a further explanation, as well as describe some current research findings in order to talk about some solutions. However, in a nutshell, the problem is that many in rural regions of the United States are being left behind in the rapidly globalizing society and economy.

I am a part-time student in the Master’s in Educational and Leadership and Policy Studies program in SED at Boston University; however, I am also a full-time staff member with Boston University Upward Bound. In case you are not familiar, Upward Bound is an educational opportunity program that works with low-income high school and potential first generation college students. Nationally, Upward Bound has existed since 1965, and there are 100s of Upward Bound programs hosted at colleges and universities across the United States. Among all Upward Bound Programs, two thirds of students served must be both low income and first generation college potential. However, of course, the identities of “low-income” and “first-gen” are intersectional with countless other identities- meaning, there are different groups of low-income and potential first generation college students across the country.

That being said, on average, students in rural areas achieve lower levels of education and graduate at lower rates than their non-rural peers across the United States. The data also shows that rural students are more likely to attend schools with poorer populations and less spending per pupil. Looking at some qualitative studies that seek to understand the effect of these education economic trends, there are clear themes: communities are generally described as tight-knit, with many generations of a family living in the same area; however, paradoxically, many of these areas lack strong community support infrastructure, due a lack of social and economic resources and a corresponding lack of investment (Mitra, Movit & Frick, 2007).

Why? Much seems to hinge on a common theme that success means “making it out-” most often via achieving a 4-year degree. And in fact, looking at the national data, trends suggest that educational segregation is on the rise. The majority of the population holding bachelor degrees or higher is clustered- many of these “clusters,” existing in economically prosperous urban areas (Domina, 2009). This “spatial” lack of resources among rural communities, creates a cycle that “embeds” a lack of educational, economic and social opportunities within a given community- a self perpetuating “rural brain drain” (Roscigno & Crowle, 2009).

What can we do? In short, it seems that the United States needs to re-examine how schools are funded. Although this blog speaks to the spatial lack of resources within rural communities, the same can be said about many urban school systems. At the heart of the issue, it is inequitable that school investment is contingent upon the economic and social resources of a community.

References:

Domina, T. (2006). Brain drain and drain gain: Rising educational segregation in the United States, 1940-2000. City & Community, 5(4), 387-407. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6040.2006.00190.x

Mitra, D. L., Movit, M., & Frick, W. (2007). Brain drain in the Rust Belt. Educational Policy, 22(5), 731-757. doi:10.1177/0895904807310038

Roscigno, V. J., & Crowle, M. L. (2009). Rurality, institutional disadvantage, and achievement/attainment. Rural Sociology, 66(2),268-292. doi:10.1111/j.1549-0831.2001.tb00067.x