Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Fracking For Funds: The Shale Gas Rush and the Financial Implications it Holds for Appalachian Ohio Schools
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This presentation will review the results of a qualitative study that took place in Appalachian Ohio where the shale gas rush is restructuring both the regional economy and landscape. I narrowed my focus to seven counties—Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Guernsey, Harrison, Monroe and Noble—that are experiencing an unprecedented amount of unconventional natural gas exploration and extraction. This qualitative interview study sought to assess how rural superintendents and school treasurers navigate the pressures and responsibilities of entering into legally binding agreements with natural gas companies. The signing bonuses and royalty payments that districts are collecting from these leases are projected to alleviate much of the financial burdens the rural schools in this study have carried for years. During my presentation, I will discuss the extent to which these financial possibilities are being realized by rural school districts, while calling into question the limitations of relying on agreements based on natural resource exploitation as a means of financial stability.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Jacqueline Yahn is the Middle Childhood Education Coordinator for Ohio University’s Eastern Campus and a doctoral candidate in Ohio University's Educational Administration program. Her area of specialty is policy and leadership in rural and small schools, and much of her research focuses on the impact extractive industries have on rural schools and communities.
Fracking For Funds: The Shale Gas Rush and the Financial Implications it Holds for Appalachian Ohio Schools
This presentation will review the results of a qualitative study that took place in Appalachian Ohio where the shale gas rush is restructuring both the regional economy and landscape. I narrowed my focus to seven counties—Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Guernsey, Harrison, Monroe and Noble—that are experiencing an unprecedented amount of unconventional natural gas exploration and extraction. This qualitative interview study sought to assess how rural superintendents and school treasurers navigate the pressures and responsibilities of entering into legally binding agreements with natural gas companies. The signing bonuses and royalty payments that districts are collecting from these leases are projected to alleviate much of the financial burdens the rural schools in this study have carried for years. During my presentation, I will discuss the extent to which these financial possibilities are being realized by rural school districts, while calling into question the limitations of relying on agreements based on natural resource exploitation as a means of financial stability.
