Examined differences between university students and permanent residents of an Appalachian community in their attitudes toward the environment and toward proposed local energy-related developments. Data show that townspeople were somewhat more supportive than students of proposed energy developments, which may be due to economic factors rather…

Describes a study conducted in southeastern Washington to determine public opinion regarding several educational options. Compares study results obtained through structured interviews with adult residents at a randomly selected sample of households with results obtained by mailing questionnaires to all remaining households in the area. (AYC)

Discussed is the Action Research and Community Problem-Solving model as an approach to environmental education. The basic steps to this approach are described. Bridges to the community and between the sciences are proposed. (CW)

A national study of superintendents reveals that most superintendents (89.6 percent) consider their relationship with the community to be very important, and most (63.5 percent) spend a great deal of time on that relationship. There is a positive correlation between the importance superintendents assign to their relationship to the community and…

The efforts of national organizations, whether governmental or voluntary, to promote conservation and to develop public awareness and sympathy will be successful only in proportion to the extent that people identify these efforts with their own quality of life. This report focuses on the main theme of the conference held in May, 1985, by the North…

This study was undertaken to determine the perceptions of a wide range of citizens and to inform the Mississippi Legislature on the issue of merit pay in education. From each of 50 randomly selected Mississippi school districts, a representation of grades K through 12 was chosen, with all professional and administrative staff members asked to…

This study compares the expectations of educators, parents, and business leaders regarding computer uses in education with their conceptions of what is actually being done. Respondents saw microcomputer use for recordkeeping, determining instructional needs, and instruction as important potential uses but felt that more should be done. (MBR)

The paper summarizes recruitment and retention approaches designed to assist rural school administrators in securing/holding well-prepared/qualified teachers and presents findings from a 1985 study that examined teachers' perceptions of professional preparation. Outlined recruitment approaches include paying candidate's interview and moving…

A 3-year study of decentralization of Alaska schools identified several factors that influenced whether a school was locally controlled and found patterns of control associated in important ways with staff and community attitudes toward school. Information was gathered by surveys and interviews conducted in 28 communities randomly selected to…

AEL works with state educational entities to help schools become higher-performing learning communities. AEL's current partnership with Lincoln County (West Virginia) began about 6 months after the state board of education assumed administrative control of the county school system, citing major deficiencies in the system. AEL provided facilitative…

This study sought to determine characteristics of schools and districts that enjoy the public's strong confidence and to explore how these characteristics are created and retained. A screening procedure produced useable data from 181 "high-confidence" public schools, 30 private schools, and 45 school districts. As part of a preliminary…

This paper focuses on a community's educational improvement project in Tennessee that resulted from executive appointment of a citizen task force in each community. The paper reports project development and results; discussion emphasizes implications for school administrators. A joint task force, appointed in 1985, was directed to develop…