PRESCOTT, AZ (AZFamily) — Arizona education leaders are trying to find solutions to bridge that gap between rural and urban students.

The data doesn’t lie: rural students are less likely to pursue higher education because they face challenges such as poverty and limited resources.

Arizona is home to expansive and beautiful rural areas across the state. However, students living in these areas have fewer educational options.

According to the National Rural Education Association, one in seven rural students experiences poverty.

Peter Boyle, with the Center for the Future of Arizona, also said another hurdle was the pandemic, which is still impacting test scores.

“There are real barriers to success in some rural communities,” Boyle said. “Those might be transportation infrastructure. Tho

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