Written for the Press-Republican on July 9, 2020
Stefanikintroduces Success for Rural Students and Communities Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) introduced the Success for Rural Students and Communities Act.
According to a press release, the legislation would “improve college access and success for rural students by spurring innovation and investment in new strategies to prepare them to complete their credentials and step into high-demand jobs in their communities.”
A companion bill was introduced earlier this year in the Senate.
In a statement, Stefanik said the North Country has many rural school districts with high graduation rates and students eager to enter the workforce.
“I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation, which seeks to close the attainment gap that is present in many of our rural communities and economies,” she continued.
“We must support our students by providing them with early support and information for higher education, create programs that offer students training locally, and work with local stakeholders to retain a skillful workforce.”
CFES Brilliant Pathways President/CEO Rick Dalton noted that, over the past 30 years, his organization has helped 30,000 students from rural communities across the country become college- and career-ready.
“In recent years, we’ve seen our rural students slip behind their urban peers in aspirations and performance, and I applaud Congresswoman Stefanik for introducing a bill to help rural youth.”
The legislation authorizes demonstration grants to support activities that increase post-secondary enrollment and completion rates for rural students, enhance credential attainment rates for non-traditional students, create or strengthen post-secondary programs and training opportunities in locally-relevant fields, and generate local and regional development strategies that create employment opportunities for students with post-secondary degrees.
You can read the full article at https://www.pressrepublican.com/
