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Smith Legislation to Help Rural Students Attend College Poised to Become Law
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July 31st, 2008 - Washington, D.C. - Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) announced today that his legislation to help students in rural communities attend college is close to becoming law. Smith’s bill, “The College and University Rural Education (CURE) Act”, was included in the Higher Education Act conference report passed today by the U.S. Senate. The bill will now go to the President for his signature.
“College graduation rates among our nation’s rural students are disproportionately low compared to their urban counterparts,” said Smith. “Providing greater access to higher education for rural students will help ensure that America’s rural communities and economies remain strong and vital.”
“Too many rural youth miss opportunities to use educational resources that can be provided by the provisions of the CURE bill,” said Scott Reed, Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement at Oregon State University. “This act will help maintain the vitality of rural communities and allow students who live in these areas to overcome knowledge barriers that may be limiting their desired futures.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, only 15.5 percent of rural students in Oregon graduated from college in 2000. Statistics released in 2004 by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) show that college enrollment rates nationally for both 18 to 24 year olds and 25 to 29 year olds are lower in rural areas than any other region.
Smith’s legislation will provide grants to facilitate partnerships between K-12 schools, rural colleges and businesses, providing enhanced opportunities for graduates of rural high schools to pursue postsecondary education and creating an employment pipeline for regional economies. Funds will also be used to build education programs that provide specialized training for jobs in areas facing worker shortages.
Additionally, the CURE Act includes funding to launch a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study exploring the educational challenges facing rural Americans and propose solutions to increase accessibility to higher education opportunities.
The Higher Education Act contains other provisions fought for by Smith, including funding to address the needs of “nontraditional” college students, many of whom are female and face additional barriers in pursuing higher education, and aligning definitions of hate crimes on college campuses from the 1998 Higher Education Act with those used by the FBI.
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