Rural Utah, a region that makes up 77% of the state’s land, is home to only 12% of the state’s population.
This area that stretches across our state can sometimes be ignored by politicians and media, and that makes certain opportunities difficult to come by. This needs to change. Rural Utah has a lot to offer — and a lot more to be offered.
Upward Bound is one of the federal grant programs created with the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. At the time, United States President Lyndon B. Johnson had just unofficially started the “War on Poverty” which was a series of programs that helped address high levels of poverty in America. Upward Bound specifically aims at providing low-income and first-generation high school students with academic, cultural and personal support. This means that during the summer session there are classes, evening activities and weekend trips to create an enjoyable and educational experience.
Having interned with one of these programs over the summer, I can testify firsthand to the positive impact it has on rural students’ education.
Rural schools have gained a negative reputation over the last few years. From stereotypes and misconceptions around higher drug use to the false notion that rural schools have “worse” teachers, they haven’t gotten the best coverage lately. This all leads to the misconception that a rural education is inferior.
During my time in Price working for Upward Bound, I noticed the teachers were community-driven and genuinely cared about every individual student. The sense of community that comes from a rural school being the centerpiece of these areas is truly amazing.
Mara Tieken, an associate professor of education at Bates College, captured this dynamic well in an interview with the Harvard Graduate School of Education: “When rural schools thrive, so do the towns and regions around them.”
This strong, vested interest in their community is why rural teachers care so much about student success. No one is a stranger in rural towns: Teachers and students are neighbors. They run into each other at the supermarket. Research shows that rural communities have stronger student-teacher relationships.
A 2023 report from Education Week found that rural schools had an 89.8% graduation rate, performing higher than non-rural schools. Despite this, rural schools need more programs like Upward Bound that help students by introducing them to college preparatory classes, engaging with their community through service and allowing interns like me to help.
In Utah, 20.8% of our public schools are deemed as rural. Utah’s rural regions have been forgotten to most, unfortunately, especially to the education system. We rank 47th out of all states in percentage of total state education funding that goes to rural school districts. This underfunding reflects a troubling pattern of treating rural schools as less deserving, perpetuating the misconception that they are inferior and unworthy of greater investment.
A rural education is anything but inferior. While our rural education system needs stronger support, this does not mean that students are learning less or receiving a poor education.
I believe Upward Bound had a positive impact on the lives of students. It helped build confidence and success in areas that lacked opportunity. Upward Bound has been shown to increase the likelihood that students in the program will enroll in a four year college from 18% to 38% percent.
Entering the job, I aimed to teach students leadership and pathways to extracurricular success, things that I felt helped me excel throughout high school. Programs like these are essential across rural Utah, where students benefit from guidance and support.
It’s crucial we recognize and invest in the potential of rural students. The quality of one’s education should never be determined by geography.
(Ronan Spencer) Ronan Spencer is the Civic Engagement Fellow at the Institute of Government and Politics at Utah State University, advocating for student issues as a political science and finance student.
Ronan Spencer is the Civic Engagement Fellow at the Institute of Government and Politics at Utah State University, advocating for student issues as a political science and finance student.
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