An historical problem in the education of minorities has been that those responsible for minority education have isolated the educational process from the culture of the minority being served. This factor and others (cultural bias, lack of opportunity, and background) have contributed to lower levels of educational attainment of rural minorities within both developed and developing countries. However, as a result of the urban-to-rural migration trend, the dominant urban bias in educational policy in the United States has been challenged as the focus has expanded to include rural issues. Within this enlarged scope, the needs of rural Native Americans, Mexican Americans, Black Americans, and other minorities must not be overlooked. These minority groups have historically been among the most severely disadvantaged populations in terms of good educational facilities, access to education, adequate financing, appropriate curriculum, and representative school governance structures. A comparison of other nations' experiences in rural minority educational policy formulation with that of the United States indicates many similarities, but the pervading similarity is one of suppression of the minority culture in the educational process. Governments from around the world are beginning to recognize the need for better educational programs for rural minority youth; however, this awareness has not as yet produced a proliferation of viable programs. As programs do develop, it is extremely important that adequate research becomes a part of that development. (AN)