Rural Aspirations and Expectations of Ohio and Georgia Secondary Students.

Different areas and regions of the nation have characteristically different rural high school systems due to differences in socioeconomic status of the residents, racial or ethnic membership, and family background. Differences in staffing patterns, enrollment levels, and school budgets are also characteristics that help to differentiate rural and urban high schools. This paper examines these characteristics of rural schools in Ohio and Southwest Georgia, as they pertain to rural students' aspirations and expectations. Twelfth grade students in 19 rural public secondary schools in Ohio and Georgia completed surveys. The population makeup of the schools was very different, with Georgia rural schools having a black enrollment of over 80%, whereas rural schools in Ohio were almost entirely white. Ohio rural students enjoyed a slightly higher standard of living, but parents in both states had similar levels of educational attainment, though the proportion of parents with college experience was somewhat greater in Ohio than in Georgia. More Ohio students planned to attend four-year colleges and universities, and they expected to enter higher status occupations than the Georgia students. Ohio students indicated they were more confident of entering their chosen occupations. The report concludes that policymakers should review such findings, for national policies may not have equal import in all regions. This paper contains 10 references. (DHP)