A bill aimed at helping students in rural areas reach their higher education goals and connect them with employment opportunities in their hometowns has been introduced by U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-NH, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

The Success for Rural Students and Communities Act will “do more to ensure that rural students can access higher education opportunities that lead to good-paying jobs in their communities,” said Hassan. She said shoring up rural education “supports rural communities by boosting the local workforce and helping the economy thrive.”

The bill seeks to improve college access for rural students by spurring innovation and investment in new strategies. Specifically, it would create a demonstration program to encourage rural community stakeholders to form partnerships to help students matriculate, graduate and enter the workforce. The partnerships would have the authority and resources to help students navigate some of the common challenges of higher education, such as financial aid and selecting the educational programs that meet their needs.

The bill also would encourage partnerships to work with employers to determine what credentials are needed for rural students to be hired, whether that is a college degree, a skilled trade credential or a professional certificate.