A review of research on prominent rural educational issues and a survey of the views of rural social studies teachers in Pennsylvania indicate that rural areas are as affected as urban areas by national conditions and policy. Teachers in rural areas have little optimism that conditions will improve. (KC)

According to U.S. Census data, in rural Pennsylvania, 37% of adults did not complete higher school, and 21% did not go beyond 8th grade. As a consequence of present demographic and literacy trends, the proportion of the workforce with low levels of basic skills is growing. At the same time, a changing labor market is creating new jobs that demand…