A new study finds that high school students in rural parts of the U.S. face significant challenges accessing technology that may adversely affect their learning.
Specifically, the report “Rural Students: Technology, Coursework and Extracurricular Activities,” found rural students lack of access may impede their course-taking success, including the national ACT test.
The report focuses on the well-known issue in rural America facing communities and farm families, a lack of quality internet access and the need for broadband connections.
The report notes that six percent of schools in the U.S. still do not meet federal connectivity benchmarks.
To better serve rural students, the ACT organization recommends finding ways to improve internet and technology access at home and at the school, increase opportunities for rigorous course taking, and expand opportunities for personalized learning.
In positive news for rural students, respondents had greater access to extracurricular activities than non-rural students, including clubs, sports and other school-related activities.
