TITLE Rural Students Becoming Rural Teachers: How Long Do They

A study examined the employment status of elementary, early childhood, and special education graduates from Chadron State College (Nebraska) for the academic years of 1996/97-2000/01 at 2 and 5 years after graduation. Surveys of 282 education graduates, most of whom were teaching in small towns and rural communities of their midwestern states of origin, found that 92 percent were employed as teachers for the first 2 years after graduation, declining to 77 percent after 5 years. This study did not show the level of teacher attrition found in other studies because these graduates come from small towns and rural areas similar to the ones where they are employed. Although teacher salaries in Nebraska are low, additional benefits include health insurance, safety within small schools, and importance of the profession in the community. Another factor in employment and retention of these teachers was the dual certifications that Chadron offers. Dually certified teachers can be particularly useful in rural areas where th