This qualitative comparative case study explores the teacher retention system practices of rural and small city school districts in New York State that have low entry-level teacher turnover rates. This research problem addresses the need to examine the system practices employed by districts with high rates of teacher retention in supporting and…

Describes the education of Melvil Dewey, pioneer in library science, his early teaching experiences in rural New York, and the influence of these experiences on his final career choice. Discusses his concept of education for the masses through public libraries. (SV)

The professional staff in 33 Catskill Area School Study Council and peripheral area schools for the year ending June 1968 consisted of 70 administrators, 1,557 classroom teachers, and 131 persons in other professional staff capacities. The schools ranged in enrollment from 233 to 3,033. Of the 261 professional staff involved in the total turnover,…

In 1985-86 several small school districts in rural New York State began cooperating to offer advanced high school courses via audio-graphic telecommunications. Evaluation of the Tele-Learning project's second year used a case study approach to examine four diverse programs: advanced placement English, advanced placement calculus, Spanish III, and…

The product of an Ad-Hoc Committee formed to assess the future of the Rennselaerville primary school in Rensselaerville, New York, this document describes the way in which a small school has developed a "partnership" agreement with the larger Greenesville School District and has managed to keep its primary grades operative in the face of…

A survey of rural school administrators and college education faculty assessed attitudes toward educating the disabled and opinions about characteristics of effective rural education. Results documented a knowledge and attitude gap between rural and college educators. Both groups were unaware of issues identified in the research literature on…

Basic needs of children and youth which cannot be provided by small rural schools could be realized by combining the resources and pupils of a number of local districts. Four types of organization are presented as possibilities for providing cooperative educational services: (1) autonomous districts with line functions; (2) semi-autonomous…

The resource allocation practices of New York State school districts were examined to determine how certain structural features of school districts can either create high tax rates or reduce educational opportunities for students. Study results indicated that rural districts spend less on instruction than do otherwise similar districts; however,…

This newsletter reports research findings from 31 rural New York school districts on teacher recruitment and retention. Of 31 superintendents interviewed in September 1987, 55% reported rising elementary enrollment; 61% had difficulty filling positions; 84% had too few applicants; and 68% reported a scarcity of appropriately certified applicants.…

Minicourses in astronomy and advanced calculus were offered to students in small rural high schools in New York via IBM PC microcomputers using the graphics tablet and associated software. New York state and local educational agencies, federal agencies, school districts, and two private sector telecommunications companies cooperated to demonstrate…

Compares behaviors of superintendents in two neighboring small, rural school districts, one of which had exceptional student achievement. Concludes that the effective rural superintendent exhibits many of the behaviors observed in effective inner-city principals, and may be the pivotal figure in promoting effective rural education. (SV)

A study was undertaken in 16 rural New York school districts to determine the feasibility of sharing noninstructional services as an avenue to achieving cost savings and enhanced services. The districts involved were within the Delaware/Chenango/Madison/Otsego BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) in a rural mountainous region of…

This collection of articles, written by administrators and teachers in the small city and rural school districts of Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties, New York, deals with the education of culturally disadvantaged white, Negro, Puerto Rican, Indian, and migrant youth. Programs developed by the schools with the aid of Federal funds providing…

SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED POOR SCHOOLS, AND MOST EFFORTS TOWARD IMPROVEMENT HAVE BEEN TO ELIMINATE THE SCHOOL BY REORGANIZATION. THE STRUGGLE FOR COMPREHENSIVENESS IS SEEN IN THIS PAPER AS THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM FACING SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS. IMPROVEMENT DEPENDS ON A RETURN TO COMMUNITY SCHOOL EMPHASIS, CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT IN…

This report examines how the curricular offerings of large secondary schools compare with the curricular offerings of small secondary schools. The study is motivated by theories of production which hold that economies are available in large compared to small schools; it is pointed out, however, that larger schools may not take advantage of…