This paper uses data from research projects that deliberately set out to tell positive stories about educators who were working with the children and families of migratory agricultural workers in the US. The aim underpinning these projects was to move beyond the deficit discourses and stories of blame that so often circulate, particularly in…

Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) invited 10 districts to participate in a community of practice designed to increase understanding of how to braid and blend federal funds. District teams composed of principals, superintendents, business managers, and other district leaders participated in four 90-minute virtual sessions. The purpose of…

In this descriptive and comparative study, we present results highlighting the complexity and scope of the challenges facing rural districts as they navigate the changing demographics of the students and families they serve. Rapid increases in the number and concentration of racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse students in rural areas…

Are there teachable "transferable skills" (TS) that might mitigate the limitations of a rural location--or indeed, the limitations any program might encounter in regard to diversity expectations? Following a study conducted in 2010 of how rural schools, colleges, and departments of education (SCDEs) attempted to meet the National Council…

In American popular culture, the word "rural" invokes images of sunny farms and little red schoolhouses--while "urban" means drugs, poverty, and crime. But those who know the reality of both worlds will say that rural schools face many of the same challenges as their urban counterparts. The problems of rural schools are often…

For nearly 25 years, the author has driven the highways and back roads of Illinois, teaching dance to school children, leading family programs, performing lecture/demonstrations, and choreographing technically simple, conceptually complex pieces with and for young dancers. The author's home base is Champaign/Urbana (C/U), twin cities with a…

This paper explores how rural communities with limited financial resources and technical expertise can have a useful Web page along with the ability for community and business leaders to maintain this presence. The tools to be employed are not new to the Web, but they may be considered "cutting edge" when it comes to a rural community's…

Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) made enormous contributions to African American education, rural education, and many aspects of American life. Even so, he remains a little known figure to many. To a large extent, his impact was the result of an ability to build and maintain effective partnerships. This brief history summarizes Rosenwald's thoughts on…

THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES THE PRESENT STATUS OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND NEEDS OF RURAL YOUTH. EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT MOST RURAL YOUTH DO NOT PLAN TO ATTEND COLLEGE, AND THAT THESE NONCOLLEGE BOUND STUDENTS DO NOT SCORE AS WELL ON APTITUDE AND ACHIEVEMENT TESTS AS THOSE PLANNING ON COLLEGE. APPROXIMATELY 80 PERCENT OF THESE STUDENTS DO NOT FEEL…

This booklet is designed to serve as a practical guide to assist teachers in using the Illinois Core Curriculum in Agriculture to develop courses of study for local vocational agriculture courses. Provided first is an overview of vocational agriculture programs on the secondary-school level in the state of Illinois. The next section is a guide for…

Project REDY (Rural Education-Disadvantaged Youth) was initiated by the University of Illinois on June 1, 1965, and is scheduled to terminate June 30, 1970. The objectives of the project were: (1) to study in depth a depressed rural area and to identify conditions and trends that typify the area; (2) to develop and conduct a model…

A study of 198 students and 43 educators examined computer attitudes and knowledge in rural settings. Educators and students had positive attitudes toward computers. Educators demonstrated significantly higher knowledge levels than students. Over half of the students and about one-third of the educators indicated having a computer at home. (JHZ)

This paper describes a survey, of 51 rural schools in Illinois, that was conducted to gather information on English and language arts teaching in rural areas. Following an introduction to the rationale and methodology of the survey, the paper discusses the results of the survey in the following areas: (1) the rural community, including community…

One aspect of Project REDY (Rural Education-Disadvantaged Youth) was to explore the degree of upward social and occupational mobility which society might realiztically expect from residents of a rural economically depressed area. Social class structure was identified as a related factor and examined in a rural, Southern Illinois county. It was…