The author of this article, an education attorney, begins by describing a case where, a school superintendent of personnel for a rural school district in Michigan had just received a performance evaluation with high marks and a new three-year contract. Two months later the school board called him into a closed session and presented him with…

Offers suggestions for gifted education programs in rural school districts, based on practices used in some eastern Iowa districts. Discusses such considerations as program planning, program implementation, program staffing, expanding or supplementing the regular curriculum for gifted students, and facilitating interaction among participating…

Identifies unique problems associated with developing gifted programs in rural schools. Makes suggestions to administrators concerning proper emphasis on program planning, sensitivity during the identification procedures, financial and transportation difficulties, and fostering community support. 8 references. (SV)

Because of their visibility at the center stage of community life, small-town superintendents have a greater opportunity to act as participatory managers and instructional leaders. This paper reports the results of surveys with 25 small-town school superintendents to discover rural/urban differences, work patterns, and exemplary practices in…

Career ladders have been proposed as one way to address problems rural and small schools have in recruiting academically able and talented teachers, recognizing them once they start teaching, and retaining them in the teaching role. While there are differences in career ladder plans, there are also some common features, e.g., predetermined…

This article proposes the use of special education knowledge within a general education framework. Research on federal policies to achieve educational equity has shown that special education policies have created elements of an unequal educational system. Rural educators need to move beyond "special education" in rural settings, to address the…

Contends that school size is an increasingly important factor in discussions concerning school effectiveness. Clarifies the current usage of the term "small secondary school" so that research can be conducted. Concludes that curriculum reform requirements will have an impact on determining effectiveness of education in small secondary…

Although the single-grade classroom has emerged as the most prevalent administrative arrangement, the existence of the split grade phenomenon continues to be a part of educational tradition in both rural and urban schools, predominantly at the elementary levels. Teachers are then forced to compromise curriculum to teach all levels simultaneously.…

The Major Project in the Field of Education stresses renewed and intensive efforts by Latin American and Caribbean Island countries to provide the resources and training necessary to meet basic education needs by the year 2000. This document examines project achievements, innovations, and problems through 1986 in the areas of rural education,…

Reviews studies on rural schools and rural teaching in British Columbia. Notes most teaching vacancies will occur in rural areas. Cites lack of preparation programs for rural teachers, discusses the University of Victoria's programs, and suggests internships and teacher exchange programs as ways to sensitize students/teachers to rural life. (CN)

This book presents essays from educational reformers who examine efforts aimed at students at risk for failure in U.S. schools. It is divided into four parts. Part 1 considers the factors that place children at risk for educational failure. Part 2 describes the dangers for students of a system that fails to recognize and appreciate their…

Newly adopted objectives for improving Arizona graduate educational efforts for student teachers in remote, rural areas are presented, specifically regarding the increased use of current information technology resources, such as television and computer modem courses. Current options as well as future possibilities are considered, such as…

School reorganization has been used extensively as a strategy to deal with the problems of small and rural schools. However, there is no comprehensive evidence to prove that consolidation has met the problems of finance, staff, facilities, and curriculum for which it has been advocated, nor are consolidation's disadvantages and ill-effects of the…

Asserts that school democratization efforts in Russia have resulted in students and their interests becoming more important than government-appointed school inspectors. Contends that teacher-student relations have become democratized as teachers have abandoned the authoritarian methods of the past. (CFR)

A paper on the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (P.L. 94-142) provides information to state legislators on requirements and application procedures and speculates on significance of compliance for rural New Mexico school districts (New Mexico has never implemented P.L. 94-142). The five purposes of the paper are to describe major…