Rural America's Pathways to College and Career

This book provides solutions to the vexing educational challenges that rural communities face and serves as a how-to guide for building college and career readiness within rural schools. Rural America's Pathways to College and Career shares practical tips that can be used by educators and community members to transform rural schools, help students develop essential skills, locate and train college- and career-ready advisors, establish business partnerships, build college readiness, leverage technology, build interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers, and understand how to pay for college. Based on research and drawing on best practice and poignant stories, Dalton shares examples of success and challenges from interviews conducted with over 200 individuals who have participated in programs across the country. By helping rural youth learn about the opportunities available and by providing them with the support they need to succeed, this book serves as an actionable guide to helping students in rural schools attain postsecondary school success.

Rick Dalton is President and CEO of CFES (College for Every Student) Brilliant Pathways and has spent the last 35 years expanding opportunities in higher education for economically disadvantaged youth. He has written more than 200 articles and op-eds on college access and success.

1. Rural America Today 2. Building Successful Rural Schools: Beating the Odds 3. The Essential Skills: Building Blocks of College and Career Readiness 4. College and Career Readiness Advisors: Navigators to a New World 5. Business Collaboration and Job Readiness: How to Find, Launch, and Retain Partners 6. Building Readiness for College 7. Leveraging Technology: Expanding Rural Opportunities 8. Staying in College: Solving Rural America's Dropout Crisis 9. Building STEM Interest, Awareness, and Readiness: The Future is Now 10. Paying for College: There's Help Out There