THE PERCENTAGE OF DISADVANTAGED FARM LABORERS, LOW INCOME MANUFACTURING WORKERS, AND MIGRANTS IS DISPROPORTIONATELY LARGE IN RURAL AMERICA. MILLIONS OF TECHNOLOGICALLY UNEMPLOYED RURAL YOUTH ARE UNEDUCATED, UNPREPARED, AND HENCE UNEMPLOYABLE IN A NEW OCCUPATION. ALTHOUGH UNDISPUTABLE EVIDENCE EXISTS TESTIFYING TO THE BENEFITS OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN REDUCING UNEMPLOYMENT, A LARGE SEGMENT OF THIS POPULATION IS FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE, MAKING FURTHER TECHNICAL EDUCATION ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE. SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING THE PLIGHT OF THE RURAL DISADVANTAGED INCLUDE--(1) BROADENED CURRICULAR OFFERINGS WHICH ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THEIR EDUCATION, (2) IMPROVED QUALITY OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION THROUGH EMPLOYMENT OF SPECIALISTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF READING (LACK OF READING ABILITY IS PERHAPS THE MAJOR CAUSE OF EDUCATIONAL RETARDATION AND DROPOUT AT ALL LEVELS), (3) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAMS FOR THE FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE ACHIEVEMENT MAY BE SO LOW THAT HE IS NOT QUALIFIED FOR TRAINING OR RETRAINING PROGRAMS NOW IN OPERATION, (4) INITIATION OF TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR BOTH RURAL AND URBAN DISPLACED WORKERS, AND (5) CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THEREBY PROVIDING THE ADVANTAGES OF BOTH ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. THIS SPEECH WAS DELIVERED AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RURAL EDUCATION (WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPTEMBER 28, 1964). (DA)