Monday, February 8th, 2010

Last week, a new study was released by by Dr. Michael Hendryx (Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University)

Below is his own summary, and here is a link to the full text.

Education and Jobs, Jobs and Education: A proposal for funding economic redevelopment in Central Appalachia

To date, both the economic strength of the region and the education of its people have fallen far short of ideal. Our challenge is to find ways to redress these shortcomings. This essay will describe the educational and economic disadvantages experienced in Central Appalachia, and show how those disadvantages originate from the region’s overdependence on coal. The essay will also show that these disadvantages result in pervasive and severe health problems for the population. Then, the essay will propose a specific policy initiative based on redirecting funds from the coal severance tax to provide the financial and operational resources necessary to overcome these disadvantages and create a healthy, educated, productive population that will serve as the foundation for a renewed and sustainable economy for Central Appalachia.

Thanks to the Central Appalachian Prosperity Project for hosting the paper.

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