For years universities have worked in partnership with rural schools in an attempt to give back to communities that support them. Michigan State University has research sites in the school district that I currently work in and our school benefits from access to these resources. Now, the Department of Education and U.S. Department of Agriculture are working to further this effort. According to White, the Federal Government has provided more than $4 billion to extend this working partnership.
I believe that this type of effort is exactly what is needed to aid schools in rural communities. Sure, the world is shrinking with technology providing us access to resources that previously were unavailable. However, access through technology is only possible if you have the funding to purchase the technology. Many rural schools do not have this luxury, so this gives them an opportunity that they may not otherwise have.
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I agree with you wholeheartedly. Often, rural communities are overlooked when assessing educational problems within the US. Having once taught in a small village, I saw the many issues facing students in the rural community. Many of them had never been outside of the county due to poverty. Increasing technology, including access to the Internet, is a must and has to be done if students are going to be able to see the rest of the world.
ReplyDeleteIf those students are left neglected, their education will be adversely affected, they will not move on to tech schools or colleges, and they will more than likely continue the vicious cycle of poverty. To eliminate their dependency on welfare, it is vital to get them empowered through education. Once that happens, they will do much better academically and will be able to progress economically as well.