Rural schools less likely to have advanced math

Students in rural areas and small towns have less access to higher-level mathematics courses than their peers elsewhere, says a new study from the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire. Nearly 50 percent of rural and small-town students attend schools that only offer one to three advanced math courses, and only 10 percent have access to seven or more advanced math courses, defined as those beyond algebra II and geometry.

Suburban and urban schools offer, on average, three to four more advanced math courses than rural schools, Carsey reports. Only 15 percent of suburban students have three or fewer advanced math courses to choose from, while 58 percent of urban and 41 percent of suburban students have seven or more courses to choose from.

The report warns that students who do not take these courses typically score lower on assessment tests, which can restrict their higher education and job opportunities. "Limited access to advanced math courses limits the number of qualified students filling the job pipelines in science, technology, engineering and mathematics – the STEM fields," lead author Suzanne Graham, assistant professor of education at UNH, said in a news release.


Limited course offerings in rural schools are not limited to math, Carsey reports. Only 53 percent of rural schools offer advanced placement courses in any subject, compared to 72 percent in small towns, 85 percent in suburbs and 78 percent in cities. (Read more)