This booklet describes the Country Area Program (CAP), a commonwealth-funded program targeted at alleviating educational isolation among government and nongovernment rural schools in New South Wales, Australia. This booklet is intended to help parents better understand the setting in which the CAP operates. The aims of the program include overcoming educational disadvantages of rural school children; developing better ways of delivering educational services; and providing a framework within which schools and communities work together to improve educational opportunities for rural students. The program emphasizes locally-developed curricula and the use of local knowledge, skills, resources, and expertise in overcoming educational isolation. This booklet also contains information about the advantages of rural schooling in the following areas: (1) the teaching-learning process; (2) pupil-teacher relationships; (3) classroom climate; (4) school-community relationships; and (5) professional development of teachers. An overview of postsecondary education is provided to assist rural students in adjusting to college life or attending training schools. For rural students this usually involves living away from home in a different environment, losing family support and contact with friends, and extra costs. Also discussed are the limited choice of jobs for girls in rural areas, the importance of rural students acquiring social skills, and family finances. (LP)