Logan Ramsey

News Editor

Idaho State University has received a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to install distance learning classrooms in rural Southeast Idaho high schools. The grant is worth $320,000 and will provide nearly 11,000 students in 16 counties with access to college classes.

High School students and adults will be able to attend classes at their local high school and participate with video conferencing technology. In 2020, ISU had to update all of their classrooms to accommodate video learning, so this program takes the extra steps in providing access to rural students.

ISU has already opened classes in Butte County, Malad, Marsh Valley, North Fremont, Ririe, Rockland, Shoshone-Bannock, Soda Springs and South Fremont high schools and the Blackfoot Outreach Center. With this new grant, they’re expected to expand to even more rural communities.

“I think opportunity changes lives and this grant provides the opportunity for people to choose to take the courses that they need to, and go where they want to go and do what they want to do,” said Holly Kartchner, the College of Arts & Letters Director of Outreach and Retention.

They were initially working with private donors to set up this program before a professor in the College of Arts & Letters recommended that they apply for a USDA grant. After doing some research, they determined it would be perfect for what they’re trying to accomplish. They started writing the grant in April of 2020 and finished by the middle of July.

Kartchner believes that this grant will lead to a significant impact.

“It’s not just the impact it could have on high school students but the impact it could have for a community in general, because rural schools just do not have what Pocatello has,” Kartchner said. “So adults or non traditional students want to continue their education, it’s pretty seamless for them to do so.”

Kartchner said they already had a surprising instance where a father and son decided to take a class together.

The issue for many people in rural areas is that they don’t have access to or the ability to work on a college degree or learn a trade. Another issue is that many parts of the rural country don’t have access to the internet, or have poor service.

While someone might not be able to attend classes on a laptop at home, they can go to the local high school where the equipment is provided.

This could also provide teachers with the opportunity to stay at their home institution and attend Masters courses. While Kartchner said this wasn’t the main goal of the program, it could move in that direction.

Kartchner said this program will positively impact people like her, who grew up in the rural country.

“I’m from rural Southeast Idaho. My kids all graduated from rural Southeast Idaho schools, and we have some incredibly gifted kids who want to take advantage of courses like computer classes or language classes or advanced math and english classes, and they just simply do not have the opportunity because school districts can’t afford to hire a teacher for one or two students,” Kartchner said.

While there may be a tendency for people who live in the city to paint rural students with a broad brush, Kartchner said that they just need opportunities to succeed.

“They’re held back not by their own ability or lack of ability, but by their lack of opportunity and I think the same is true for a lot of adults who I hope end up in the centers. There is an opportunity for our rural population to really shine. They just need accessibility,” Kartchner said.

Kartchner is excited for rural students to build a relationship with ISU professors, who she said are the best in the west.