Smith, Brown Announce New Legislation To Help Rural Students Attend College

The Brown-Smith legislation would address the lagging participation by rural students in higher education that inhibits the growth and training of the workforce.

U.S. Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - U.S. Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced legislation last week to help students in rural communities attend college.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in Oregon, only 15.5 percent of rural students graduated from college in 2000.

The Senators stressed that creating a better-trained workforce is important for economic development in rural areas. In Ohio’s rural counties, only 12 percent of students graduated from college in 2000.

"Our kids should be able to bring their diploma home to rural Oregon and have a pay check waiting," said Smith.

"Improving the connection between rural schools and employers will ensure students are equipped with the skills they need to compete in a global economy. Whether you are in Portland or Prineville, a college education should be in reach."

"Communities across rural Ohio tell me that students either can’t afford to attend college, or go away to school and never come back," Brown said. "Turning those trends around will not only benefit rural areas, it will benefit Ohio’s economy overall."

The College and University Rural Education Act (CURE) would encourage more rural high school students to pursue postsecondary education and complete 4-year degrees, create an employment pipeline for regional economies, and enhance educational programs to provide targeted training for professions with worker shortages.

The legislation would also initiate a Government Accountability Office study on the educational challenges facing rural America and the accessibility of 2-year and 4-year education programs in rural areas.

According to 2004 statistics from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), college enrollment rates for both 18 to 24 year olds and 25 to 29 year olds are lower in rural areas than in all other locales.

The Senators said this deficit can thwart economic development and leave professions, including doctors and teachers, unfilled in rural areas.

The Brown-Smith legislation would address the lagging participation by rural students in higher education that inhibits the growth and training of the workforce.

Specifically, the CURE Act would authorize grants to:

* Partnerships formed between rural colleges and rural school districts. These partnerships would be used to improve access to secondary education through access to college classes and information on available financial aid.

* Partnerships formed between rural colleges and regional employers. These partnerships would create employment pipelines, helping students training for needed professions find immediate employment after graduation.

* Rural colleges. These grants would be used to develop training programs for needed professions in the region.

Source: Gordon Smith