Several decades of effort have improved the participation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but the gender gap remains. Researchers have found diverse reasons for women's underrepresentation in STEM, but less is understood about factors supporting persistence. This study's purpose was to understand how women…

Emerging adults in rural, boom-bust economies face unique challenges, especially in employment and education. Drawing on emerging adult and social disruption hypothesis literatures, this study examined four primary research questions. First, how do emerging adults in rural boom-bust towns in southwest Wyoming understand and experience boom-bust…

The study examined the difficulties encountered by parents of children with ASD in rural communities in Nigeria. The lack of sufficient healthcare facilities and proficient practitioners in rural locations hinders the availability of early intervention services. The cultural beliefs and misconceptions surrounding ASD exacerbate stigma,…

Lack of adequate access to capital is a major barrier for rural entrepreneurs. Washington State University Extension and the Association of Washington Cities partnered to explore and test an innovative local investment approach that provides access to capital and engages the community in the success of individual businesses. The approach offers…

The South Dakota Legislature, being aware of the impact of culture on a stable economy, desires to stimulate, encourage, and give recognition and assistance to the arts which, in order to grow and flourish, depend upon freedom, imagination and individual initiative. While the development of the arts has long been considered a matter of local…

This research is based on qualitative approach and applies in-depth interview with three principals and administrators in three junior high schools located in the remote and rural areas of Taiwan. The aim of this paper was to explore the school feature development process in these three schools. The findings of this study were as follows: most of…

Poverty and unemployment aren't spread evenly across cities or regions, but rather are concentrated in disinvested urban neighborhoods and rural communities around the country. These communities are home to the nation's most vulnerable children and families. Despite some signs of improvement in economic conditions for families in the United…

Presents a philosophical and theoretical critique of community development's transformation into economic development. Introduces a successful rural revitalization process termed "community encouragement" and integrates a community's traditional values with progressive revitalization plans. (JOW)

Background: Although rural adolescents use of alcohol is at some of the highest rates nationally, rural adolescent alcohol use has not been studied extensively. This study examines how community attitudes and behaviors are related to adolescent drinking in rural environments. Methods: Data were gathered in 22 rural communities in the Upper Midwest…

Previous studies have established that community residents and leaders differ in their support for hazardous waste facility siting in rural areas (Spies et al. 1998). We examine whether these same differences exist in rural communities that face other high-risk development decisions by analyzing resident and leader support for a proposed gold…

The experience of rural poverty is in many ways unique from that of urban poverty. In the rural setting, social cohesion creates pressure on the poor to behave in ways that are consistent with local values. This paper, based on qualitative research done in an isolated, rural Northern California community, argues that in this setting the survival…

Three factors help to explain why school enrollments in the Northern United States were higher than those in the South and in most of Europe by 1850. One was affordability: the northern states had higher real incomes, cheaper teachers, and greater local tax support. The second was the greater autonomy of local governments. The third was the…

Offers several research-based recommendations for sustaining small high schools in rural communities. For example, work with community members to establish a local endowment for the high school. (PKP)

Purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Little Tennessee Valley Charrette, a 3-county experiment in community participation in identification of educational needs and planning new programs. An evaluation team interviewed charrette participants and group discussion leaders to obtain information on the program as the basis for…

Describes efforts to enlist community support for a bond referendum to build two new elementary schools in Lunenburg County, Virginia. Recommends (1) establishing a grassroots organization; (2) emphasizing moral issues; (3) stressing needs of the school system; (4) orienting the campaign toward the future; (5) starting the campaign early; and (6)…