The purpose of this literature review is to gain greater understanding of strategies that can be effectively applied in Minnesota's rural school districts to address their education challenges. In particular, the authors sought to identify strategies that could either: (1) maintain (or improve) students' academic achievement at less cost to the…

Results of recent surveys of students, parents, and communities in west-central Minnesota indicate a great desire for vocational education and a perception of vocational education for a job as a basic skill. The rural student needs greater access to vocational programming in order to help break patterns of poverty and open the vision of students…

Reviews the development of home schooling and compulsory education, explores how special education law is interpreted within the framework of home-based education, summarizes state laws that affect home schooling and special education services in rural Minnesota and North Dakota, and summarizes litigation involving home-schooling and special needs…

Case studies of local development projects in Scotland, Norway, Australia, and the United States (Minnesota) indicate that federal education programs of a "generative" nature (those linking educational improvement to other improvement efforts, emphasizing process, and stimulating grass-roots participation) are most likely to promote…