Pursuing Higher Education in Rural Pennsylvania Schools: Shaping the College Path

Rural youth are now graduating from high school at rates comparable to their peers in urban and suburban schools, however far fewer rural youth pursue postsecondary education. Using a comparative case study method, we explore postsecondary preparation efforts at three rural school districts. Each case represents a different classification of rural: fringe, distant, and remote. We find that while all three districts offered similar postsecondary preparation programs, the amount and array of available course offerings and levels of additional support provided by the community differed. We also explore how the values and philosophies of school administrators shaped the postsecondary preparation efforts. These findings are considered through the lens of previous research on factors that influence the educational outcomes of rural youth, including literature on rural brain drain

A Current Overview of Fertility Rates in Appalachia

Fertility, the number of children born to women of childbearing age, is studied as a social process since it can be affected by the characteristics of people and the environments or contexts in which they live. Social and cultural changes, as well as economic circumstances can influence the number of children a parent wishes to have. As a largely rural region, with a history of economic challenges, Appalachia may have unique contexts for current fertility rates that are influenced by a number of factors, and rates may vary widely across the region. DeJong’s 1968 study examined fertility rates of the core 190 counties of central Appalachia, showing that over just one generation, fertility rates dramatically declined, reaching the national average or dropping below. However, there has not been a large-scale follow-up to this study. Using census data, this research seeks to provide an updated overview of fertility rates in the 420 counties of Appalachia (as designated by the ARC) and across five smaller sub-regions and clusters of counties within it. Understanding how Appalachian fertility rates compare to national rates can inform policy for family planning and healthcare, contribute to future workforce projections, and provide insight into an important aspect of Appalachian demographic research

Care for Kids, Care for the Community: Employment in Early Care and Education in Rural, Southwest Pennsylvania

Early care and education is a critical investment for the healthy growth, economic sustainability, and future wellbeing and vitality of Appalachian communities because it can have immediate and long-term effects both on the population directly affected by the care, and for the community at large. Childcare is a crucial investment for families, particularly when children have not yet reached kindergarten and still require full-day care. Across the United States, approximately 11 million children under age 5 spend time in childcare while their parents are at work. These children spend an average of 36 hours a week in childcare. While many studies have addressed issues of affordability, accessibility and quality of childcare from the perspective of parents seeking care for their children, this research seeks to understand care work as an occupation. Approximately 2 million people are employed as paid childcare providers in the United States, and far more participate in informal or unpaid care arrangements. In rural communities, care work can serve as an important avenue for female employment, both as an occupation and as a support to women’s participation in other parts of the local economy. This research is based on 20 in-depth qualitative interviews with childcare providers in two counties in rural, southwest Pennsylvania. Care workers in centers, group care facilities, and home-based providers are included in the study. This presentation will outline findings from interviews with childcare providers about their work, lives, and contributions to their communities

“If we were valued more”: A study of childcare providers in Appalachian Pennsylvania

Childcare is a critical investment for the healthy growth, economic sustainability, and future wellbeing and vitality of Appalachian communities because it can have immediate and long-term effects both on the population directly affected by the care, and for the community at large. While studies have addressed issues of affordability, accessibility and quality of childcare from the perspective of parents seeking care for their children, this research seeks to understand childcare work as an occupation. Approximately 2 million women are employed as paid childcare providers in the United States, and far more participate in informal or unpaid care arrangements. In rural communities, care work can serve as an important avenue for employment, and enable workforce participation of parents. This research draws from theories of occupational sex segregation (Reskin 1993) and gendered ideologies (Folbre 2012) to explore childcare providers’ perceptions of their work, self, and context. Twenty-five semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with childcare providers in two counties in rural, southwest Pennsylvania. Childcare workers in centers, group care facilities, and home-based providers were included in the study. This presentation will outline the processes of socialization into the field of childcare, and worker’s adherence to gendered beliefs in their work and through their work-life management strategies (Hochschild and Manchung 1989). These are then connected to larger movements to professionalize childcare work and how this intersects with the unique challenges and opportunities of the rural Appalachian context. As mandatory licensing, inspections, professional development, and educational requirements add challenging new hurdles for rural childcare providers, an understanding of childcare workers’ perceptions and local community contexts is critical. This research can inform existing outreach, support, and professional development opportunities for rural childcare workers in an increasingly formalized profession

How Many? What Kind? Parent Involvement and Extracurricular Participation Among Rural Pennsylvanian High School Students

Extracurricular activities are area-specific, youth-focused activities that can have many direct and latent positive outcomes for students. Though participation in extracurricular activities can have benefits for all participants, not all high school students are involved. The choice to participate is made within the structure of adolescents’ contexts. This research examines the relationship between parents’ participation in school, religious, and community activities with student participation in seven different extracurricular activities. Other family, personal, friend, school and community factors are taken into consideration for their role to encourage or discourage participation. The analysis uses data from eleventh-grade students in the Rural Youth Education Study, a longitudinal study of youth from ten rural school districts in Pennsylvania. Logistic regression is employed to examine influences to overall participation rates, as well as participation in each of the seven specific types of extracurricular activities separately to note different patterns of influence on participation in each type of activity. Findings reveal that most students do participate in at least one extracurricular activity, but they vary widely in the type and number of activities they choose to pursue. Parents’ participation in school and community activities increased the chances that youth participate in extracurricular activities, as did having friends who participate, a parent with a college degree, and aspirations to go to college. However, overall participation did not always reflect the likelihood of participation in individual activities. Differences among the types of activities and number of activities students join are also explored