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Educational Attainment in Appalachia

Explore the unique geographical, cultural, and societal facets impacting educational attainment in Appalachia, including barriers and potential for improvement.

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Educational Attainment in Appalachia

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  1. Educational Attainment in Appalachia Candice Clark CI 704

  2. Definition of Appalachia • Geographic area in Eastern United States stretching 2000 miles • Appalachian Mountains are the oldest mountains in North America • World’s largest broad-leafed deciduous forest • Appalachians have the world’s largest deposits of asbestos, anthracite, and bituminous coal • All of WV is within Appalachia

  3. Definition of Educational Attainment • Educational attainment – completion of a high school degree or better and or completion of a college degree or better

  4. ARC (Appalachian Regional Commission) • Originated by Johnson administration in 1965 • ARC focuses on the poorest of counties around the Appalachian Mountains • Johnson had declared a War on Poverty from a porch in Inez, KY; in 1965 1 in 3 Appalachians lived in poverty • 2008 John McCain returned to the house LBJ declared the War on Poverty from; it is padlocked with a no trespassing sign, broken down car in driveway; Martin Co. KY still has the same poverty rate

  5. Pertinent Statistics: Educational Attainment in the US vs. Appalachia Educational Attainment by Appalachian Subregion 1990 2000

  6. Cultural Identity • Appalachians have a strong sense of localism (sense of attachment to the place an individual was born and grew up), historicism (assigning a central significance to a specific context, such as historical period, geographical place, and local culture), familism (social structure in which the needs of the family as a group are more important than the needs of any one individual).

  7. Barriers to Educational Attainment • Strong sense of family and community prevents Appalachians from leaving home to seek higher education • Sense of guilt or a disconnect with self-image if they expand beyond the educational level of their parents and family • Difficulty reaching colleges/universities; transportation, geography, distance • Lack of information about higher education possibilities and procedures • Rural schools may lack resources to adequately prepare students for college • Poverty and financial difficulties

  8. Personal Opinion • Statistics are alarming but not surprising • Potential for improvement if research results are heeded • Some Appalachian studies are uncomfortable for me • Sense of pride from reading some of the research • West Virginianess

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