This book, printed for new adult readers, is about folk culture and folklore in Kentucky. The book, printed in large easy-to-read type and geared for intermediate readers, discusses folk culture and rural lifestyle. It differentiates between folk or traditional culture from elite and popular cultures. The first chapter looks at folk speech,…

This report surveys data from various Kentucky state government agencies and provides an assessment of economic problems in Kentucky's Appalachian region. A profile of the region and overview of the effectiveness of implemented programs are presented. Interviews with Area Development District Directors show a concern for the image of Appalachia.…

In 1975, 263 low-income Kentucky youths aged 17-19 completed questionnaires about career aspirations according to desired job characteristics and perceived barriers to occupational attainment; the sample (approximately half male, half female) was from an urban inner city area in Fayette County (approximately half black, half white) and the two…

A cornerstone of the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 was the creation of a high-stakes performance assessment program called the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS). KIRIS test results were the basis for granting monetary rewards to schools and school districts where student test performance improved significantly and…

Effects of student poverty and location on school accountability scores were examined using hierarchical linear modeling and data from 1,115 Kentucky schools in 171 districts. Positive effects of nonmetro location were found, but they did not erase the strong negative effect of poverty. Projections indicate that equitable excellence will not be…

Examination of demographic, socioeconomic, and cultural factors in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, the four states served by the Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL), shows low student population density, endemic poverty, low educational attainment, and a population reluctant to seek outside help. This report reviews the…

Although there are many sources of information about "effective schools" programs, those that specifically address the needs of rural areas are often overlooked. This document offers a collection of program descriptions to help educators determine programs and practices that appear to be effective in rural and small schools. Program…

Two hundred seventy-seven persons from rural, urban, and metropolitan areas of Appalachia were interviewed for the purpose of gathering background information influencing religious education programs. All those interviewed were members of Presbyterian churches. Information was obtained pertaining to family characteristics; attitudes toward…

The hypothesis of this study is that there are no differences between urban and rural high school students. All the students in attendance in a rural (n=752) and an urban (n=1413) high school in Kentucky were given a questionnaire by homeroom teachers who had been instructed in its use. Comparisons of the sample were made by school location (rural…

A cost-benefit and system-analysis approach was utilized in an effort to study the quality of education in the State of Kentucky. This first report of that 2-year study relates: background information problems of measuring quality; methodology employed; rankings of the 197 school districts; and the input, output, and process variables. Two…

Evaluation of an innovative substance abuse treatment program designed for rural areas involved 45 clients, 10 clinicians, and 2 program directors from three sites. Most clients felt the program was beneficial, but stressful. Clinicians found the program demanding to learn and adopt. Program directors liked the rural-specific design and the…

In Kentucky, 105 of 178 school districts, or 59%, are classified as rural. State law and administrative regulations presume that most school districts are both rural and isolated. The environment for rural schools in the state is heavily influenced by the fact that the majority of school districts are rural. Each school district must have a…

Focusing on migrant decision making processes in the selection of nonmetropolitan or metropolitan destinations, the main and interactive effects of Kentucky migration behavior were examined in terms of community size preference, economic condition, and value adherence. Data were gathered in a 1979 mail survey of registered voters in Kentucky which…

Information derived from a mailed questionnaire sent to a proportionate random sample of 5,500 Kentucky licensed drivers was used to determine opinions regarding the seriousness of community problems and desired levels of government expenditures for these problem areas. Eleven community problem areas were ranked by respondents as follows:…

Parents from rural and urban areas of Calloway County, Kentucky were surveyed regarding their children's television viewing habits. Fifteen survey questions were asked, among them whether there was a television set in the home; whether the child had a personal set; whether the family ate meals while watching television; whether television sound…