Graduates of rural high schools typically earn fewer math credits than their peers at nonrural campuses, according to a study published in the latest issue of the Journal of Research in Rural Education. The data also suggest that rural graduates tend to begin high school at a slightly lower level in mathematics and appear to have substantially less access to Advanced Placement math courses.
The study, by researchers Rick Anderson of Eastern Illinois University and Beng Chang of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, investigated differences in math coursetaking by using data from the 2005 High School Transcript study.