How Poverty Measures Account for Differences between 'In-Town' and 'Out-of-Town' Students

Rurality in education research is a function of the size of the school, the distance of a school in relation to urban areas, and factors within each school that may differentiate the school community based on geography. Distance matters. This study finds variation between rural communities at different distances from an urban center and differences based on analysis of student groups and student outcomes within a locale. By taking a granulated geographic approach to rurality we can better compare differences within locales. This analysis of the distance a student lives from school highlights socioeconomic differences between student groups. One related measure is the degree to which income estimates explain variation in student outcomes. Out-of-town students in rural areas have lower family incomes. These income data explain fewer school-level student outcomes than for students who live near to school. Use of data pertinent to students who live near to school reflects a certain bias in poverty measures and may not include variation in family income of students at a distance from school.