FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 13, 2024
Contact: Emma Bittner
(972) 510-3395 | Emma.Bittner@younginvincibles.org
Investment in Rural Students is Imperative to Reduce Postsecondary Education Barriers
(Denver, CO) – Today, Young Invincibles Rocky Mountain released Barriers to Postsecondary Education for Young Adults in Rural Colorado, a quantitative research report addressing barriers rural students face when accessing higher education. This report follows the release of Young Invincible’s youth-authored rural white paper earlier this year and builds upon the findings and policy recommendations.
More than 9.3 million young people across the United States are educated in rural schools and continue to experience significant barriers in accessing postsecondary education that differ from their nonrural peers. This research report identifies some of the challenges rural students face specifically in Colorado, including low student enrollments, poverty, low number of staff, transportation challenges, housing insecurity, broadband issues, and limited access to services that significantly impact student success. Furthermore, it outlines recommendations to support parents of rural students and implement peer navigators to ensure equitable access to resources on campus, underscoring the need to uplift young adult voices in policy-making and systemic reforms.
This report highlights the need to invest in the success and increased opportunities of rural students across Colorado. Young Invincibles is dedicated to continuing to shine light on some of the unexplored aspects of these communities and increase awareness around the lack of research conducted on the barriers these students face.
In response, Melanie Kesner, Rocky Mountain Regional Director at Young Invincibles, said:
“Rural students should have the same opportunities as their nonrural peers. It is imperative that we look beyond the surface to analyze the disparities between rural students and their peers and implement necessary policy changes. This research brief identifies four recommendations, Supporting Parents of Rural Students, Equitable Resources Through Policy Changes, Peer Navigators, and Incorporating Perspective and Lived Experiences of Rural Young Adults, that are critical to breaking down barriers for rural students. Furthermore, this research has made obvious the lack of research and development of support for rural students.
Young Invincibles is thrilled to put out this research with the help of rural Coloradans and continue to dedicate research to advance the wellbeing of rural young adults.”
Guadalupe Corrales, Young Invincibles Capstone Fellow and Student at the University of Colorado Denver said:
“This research is important because it addresses several key factors that contribute to more than just eliminating barriers to accessing postsecondary education for rural students; it’s deeper than that. Considering this research also means we’re creating educational equity and access, economic mobility, we’re improving outdated educational practices, addressing cultural needs, and informing policy to make real world changes. Following through with the policy recommendations is important because they address critical aspects of how we can eliminate barriers for youth living in rural areas, from parental support and equitable resource distribution, to the involvement of peer navigators and incorporating the lived experiences of rural young adults. Each of the recommendations are designed to address the biggest barriers rural youth reported having and by taking action, we are closer to providing rural youth with what they need not only to access postsecondary education but also be successful in postsecondary education.”
###
Young Invincibles (YI) is a national advocacy and policy nonprofit organization focused on amplifying the voice of young people in the political process at the local, state, and federal levels. YI focuses on issues impacting young adults ages 18 to 34 in higher education, health care, economic security, and civic engagement. Our offices include Washington, D.C., California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Texas. For more information, please contact Emma Bittner at (972) 510-3395 or emma.bittner@younginvincibles.org