Rural Isn’t Going Away: New Initiative Launches to Help Rural-Serving Community Colleges
Of the 1,000 community colleges in the U.S., studies suggest there are somewhere between 260 and 800 rural community colleges. Those estimates vary based on how rural is defined.
In North Carolina, that number is close to 70% – with 40 of the state’s 58 community colleges serving at least one rural county, according to the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS).
Although challenges on the path to higher education exist in every community, these challenges are often greater in rural areas. To a large extent, these communities are poorer, underserved, and have lower college completion rates than in urban areas.
Many rural-serving community colleges are the primary provider of essential resources. And as community hubs, they experience unique challenges and opportunities as they seek to increase attainment and close the economic prosperity gap.
