Higher Education Access and Attainment for Rural Communities of Color in Illinois: A Critical Policy Analysis

Jasmine D. Collins, Marci Rockey

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

This chapter analyzes a set of Illinois policy efforts that have been launched in recent years to assess the extent to which these initiatives address four specific educational needs of its rural Communities of Color (RCCs): affordability, academic preparedness, college knowledge, and workforce opportunities. It highlights the communities of Arcola, Beardstown, and Cairo to illuminate local conditions of access and opportunity for RCCs in the state. The state of Illinois is largely known for being the home of the “windy city” of Chicago; however, much of the state is made up of rural communities. The cost of postsecondary education impacts rural student attainment in many ways. For one, higher poverty rates and lower labor force participation, on average, mean that rural students are more likely to face economic challenges in the pursuit of a college education than their urban and suburban peers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationRace and Rurality
Subtitle of host publicationConsiderations for Advancing Higher Education Equity
EditorsTyler Hallmark, Sonja Ardoin, Darris R Means
PublisherRoutledge
Pages115-129
Number of pages15
ISBN (Electronic)9781000992724
ISBN (Print)9781032581361, 9781032581613
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2023

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Social Sciences

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