Excerpt from the report: The growing commitment by society to alleviate rural poverty has not been matched with effective prescriptions by economists for accomplishing the task. A growing body of literature documents the central role of human resources in economic development. Few studies have directed this thinking to problems of rural poverty. This study focuses on one important element of the human resource, education, and its role in raising income and living standards in rural areas characterized by low incomes. The rich and growing body of literature on the economics of education in its broadest sense is drawn upon in this study where possible, and oriented to rural society. The purpose is to provide a framework for more effective research and action programs oriented to problems of rural poverty in the United States.