National Youth-At-Risk Journal Volume 3 Article 2 Issue 1 Fall 2018 STEM Education in Rural Schools: Implications of Untapped Potential Rachel S. Harris Georgia Southern University Charles B. Hodges Georgia Southern University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar Recommended Citation Harris, R. S., & Hodges, C. B. (2018). STEM Education in Rural Schools: Implications of Untapped Potential. National Youth-At-Risk Journal, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.20429/nyarj.2018.030102 This essay is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in National Youth-At-Risk Journal by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STEM Education in Rural Schools: Implications of Untapped Potential Abstract A large number of students in American public schools attend rural schools. In this paper, the authors explore rural science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and the issues associated with STEM education for students, teachers, and parents in rural communities. Characteristics of rural STEM education are examined to highlight unique considerations for this context. The authors conclude with the recommendation that more research is needed that specifically addresses rural STEM education. Keywords rural education, STEM education, rural STEM education, STEM funding, education funding Cover Page Footnote This study was supported in part by funds from the Office of the Vice President for Research & Economic Development and the Jack N. Averitt College of Graduate Studies at Georgia Southern University. This essay is available in National Youth-At-Risk Journal: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar/vol3/iss1/2 Harris and Hodges: STEM Education in Rural Schools STEM Education in Rural Schools: Implications of Untapped Potential Rachel S. Harris and Charles B. Hodges Georgia Southern University ue to the current, competitive status of school curricula throughout the United States; Dthe global market and changing trends in however, there is a severe gap in access to these economic need, there is an increased demand educational benefits for students that reside in for qualified individuals in science, technology, rural areas. The implications of not affording engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related equal STEM education opportunities to all fields. Figure 1 shows the projected need in students is reckless for a society that hopes to some specific STEM areas. expand and regain its economic and intellectual In order to prepare the next generation foothold among other developed countries. of Americans to compete for these careers, The main barriers identified through examining their education must instill both interest and current research on STEM education and rural proficiency in STEM at a young age. STEM course schooling were access to necessary resources, work already has been integrated into many incongruent values between local culture and Figure 1. STEM job projections. Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/stem Published by Digital Commons@Georgia Southern, 2018 3 National Youth-At-Risk Journal, Vol. 3, Iss. 1 [2018], Art. 2 economic demand, and outreach disparities that face (Yettick, Baker, Wickersham, & Hupfeld, lead to rural schools being devalued or ignored 2014). A survey was conducted to evaluate as potential aid recipients or research foci. opinions of educators in Colorado on their There are approximately 6.5 million students opinion of resulting issues of the No Child Left in American rural schools, which is more than Behind Act, and the results highlighted a few the combined population of 20 of the country’s distinct differences between the perceptions largest urban school districts (Hill, 2014). An area of rural and non-rural educators (Yettick et al., is classified as urban when there are 50,000 2014). While the two groups did have a few or more residents, and an area is classified as commonalities, like challenges with reporting and being part of a cluster or sprawl anywhere the filing for these benefits, differences in responses population ranges between 2,500 and 50,000 yielded a significant difference in multiple areas. people (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). According Funding was a major point of disagreement to the most recent definition provided by between rural and non-rural educators who both the U.S. Census Bureau (n.d.) and the participated in this survey, and rural school National Center for Education Statistics (U.S. officials nearly unanimously agreed that funding Department of Education, 2012), a school would was inadequate while non-rural participants did be considered rural if it is outside of both an not think that funding was an issue (Yettick et urban area and the surrounding urban clusters al., 2014). The issue of funding rural education or suburban sprawl. These 6.5 million rural through these governmental programs has not students are a wealth of relatively untapped been alleviated due to stipulations that are potential for STEM degrees and careers. The not conducive to rural needs. For instance, United States as a whole is lagging behind other Yettick et al. (2014) highlighted that some school developed countries in the global market through officials even forgo the option of applying for evaluation of standardized international testing REAP and similar benefits due to restrictions (e.g., Programme for International Student placed on any awarded funding. One of these Assessment [PISA]). As of 2012, the mean PISA restrictions is based on the issue that regardless math score for the United States placed us in the of how large or small the award and what the “below average” category when compared with locally relevant costs may be, all awards are other nations, as we ranked 27th out of the 34 mandated to set aside at least 15% of the award countries involved in this testing (Organization for supplemental educational services (Yettick for Economic Co-Operation and Development, et al., 2014). The remoteness of these rural 2012). In science, the United States ranked 20th schools is a major factor in the cost of these in the PISA testing, and, while this rank places supplemental educational services and it is the U.S. near the “average,” it is on the lower so extreme that one interviewee in the study end of the average range which is 14th–20th remarked that it would have been more cost (Organization for Economic Co-Operation and effective for the district to buy the educational Development, 2012). services program as opposed to paying a nearby The United States has enacted several supplemental educational agency to work with policies and laws with the intent of improving their rural community once (Yettick et al., education; the Rural Education Achievement 2014). A similar issue exists with professional Program (REAP) came out of the Elementary development opportunities in rural areas. It is and Secondary Education Act. REAP was too expensive, in comparison to the amount created to assist rural schools with the unique of money allotted, for most rural educators to administrative challenges these school systems spend the time and money required to travel to https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar/vol3/iss1/2 4 DOI: 10.20429/nyarj.2018.030102 Harris and Hodges: STEM Education in Rural Schools wherever the nearest conference may be and this disparity be minimized. Through review pay for lodging, food, and conference fees or of applicable literature, it is evident that registration (Yettick et al., 2014). numerous state and federal initiatives have Finally, a key component of the Yettick et al. been implemented to address these issues (2014) study was the way in which funds were and increase student attainment; however, calculated and distributed. Due to the larger the focus of these initiatives is most often issue of rural poverty, rural schools seem to on urban school reform. Urban schools have slip through the cracks in many ways, even with received the bulk of financial supplements help from REAP. Funding is calculated based from both private and governmental agencies, on many factors, but two main components local support, and government incentives are population and community poverty; this to draw in new or more qualified teachers, is a large problem in many communities, but whereas rural schools have been marginalized especially in rural ones (Yettick et al., 2014). or ignored in these respects. Large urban Rural schools are some of the smallest schools schools and rural schools produce extremely and districts out of all classifications, and, similar students educationally, whereas small due to these small numbers, the funds they urban areas and schools in the suburbs seem are allotted are limited when compared with to have substantially better resources and, larger urban or suburban schools (Yettick et al., therefore, improved educational outcomes for 2014). Community poverty also factors into this their students (Miller & Votruba-Drzal, 2012). issue, because a community must have at least There are more similarities between student 10% of the population living at or below the achievement in large urban cities and rural poverty line to qualify for special exemptions schools than there are differences; however, and bonuses (Yettick et al., 2014). This uniquely there is an outpouring of aid to educational affects rural education because although living programs in