Status of Education in Rural America

The National Center for Education Statistics has released a new report on the Status of Education in Rural America. This report uses the new Census Bureau classifications for communities. The full report is available online. Here is the summary of the section on educational outcomes:

• A larger percentage of rural public school students in the 4th-
  and 8th-grades in 2005 scored at or above the Proficient level on the
  National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading,
  mathematics, and science assessments than did public school students in
  cities at these grade levels. However, smaller percentages of rural
  public school students than suburban public school students scored at
  or above the Proficient level in reading and mathematics.
• In 2004, the high school status dropout rate among 16- to 24-year-olds in
  rural areas (11 percent) was higher than in suburban areas (9 percent),
  but lower than in cities (13 percent).
• The averaged freshman graduation rate for public high school students was
  higher during the 2002–03 school year in rural areas (75 percent) than
  in cities (65 percent), but lower than in towns and suburban areas (76
  and 79 percent, respectively).
• A larger percentage of teenagers in rural areas than in suburban areas
  were neither enrolled in school nor employed in 2004 (6 vs. 4 percent).
• College enrollment rates for both 18- to 24-year olds and 25- to 29-year olds
  were generally lower in rural areas than in all other locales in 2004.
• A smaller percentage of rural adults than suburban adults in 2005 took
  work-related courses (24 vs. 30 percent) or courses for personal
  interest (18 vs. 23 percent), and a smaller percentage of rural adults
  than adults in cities and suburban areas participated in part-time
  college or university credential programs (3 vs. 6 percent each).
• The percentage of adults with a bachelor's degree as their highest level of
  educational attainment in 2004 was lower in rural areas (13 percent)
  than the national percentage (17 percent).
• Regardless of educational attainment, persons in rural areas generally had higher
  median earnings in 2004 than those in cities and towns (when adjusted
  to reflect regional cost differences), but lower median earnings than
  those in suburban areas.
• The unemployment rate for adults ages 25 to 34 was lower in rural areas
  (6.7 percent) than in cities (8.0 percent) and towns (8.3 percent), and
  the unemployment rate for adults ages 35 to 64 was lower in rural areas
  (4.5 percent) than in all other locales (4.8–6.4 percent).