New Perspectives on the Community Impact of Rural Education Deserts

Paige N. Park, Scott R. Sanders, Michael R. Cope, Kayci A. Muirbrook and Carol Ward
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Paige N. Park: Department of Demography, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Scott R. Sanders: Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Michael R. Cope: Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Kayci A. Muirbrook: Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Carol Ward: Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: Understanding how the lack of higher education opportunities due to geographic distance affects perceptions of communities and education is essential in creating sustainable education systems in rural areas. More specifically, this research examines how geographic distance and the absence of institutes, sometimes called an education desert, affect perceptions of community and the perceived value of education. We used data from the 2017 Rural Utah Community Study (RUCS) of residents living in twenty-five rural communities, with a sample size of 1286, and found that the proximity to different types of higher education, four- and two-year institutions, can significantly influence community well-being and the perceived value of education.

Keywords: education desert; higher education; rural; community satisfaction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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