Academic performance in American high schools has historically been lower for children with particular demographics such as low-socioeconomic status, membership in certain minorities, first-generation college enrollment, or other traditionally underrepresented on college campuses (Berger, 2015). This gap in academic performance between students of…

Research shows that school functioning and student achievement often suffer when effective principals leave their schools and that principal retention is related to the conditions they experience in five areas: working conditions, compensation, accountability, decision-making authority, and professional learning. A recent NASSP-LPI study examined…

Strong and stable school leadership is critical for success in schools across the nation. The duties of the principal are many and varied. Principals, for example, can oversee instruction, purchase curricular materials and supplies, and provide professional learning and supports for teachers. Carrying out these duties effectively makes a…

The study explores the potential relationship between personality and perceptions of serendipitous influence on academic and career decision-making. The study was conducted with 107 participants who were enrolled full-time at a rural, church affiliated private college in eastern North Carolina. The participants represented an accurate…

A limited number of universities offer graduate programs that focus specifically on preparing rural community college leaders. At the same time, community colleges are facing projections of unprecedented turnover in both administrative and instructional leadership. The rural community college is a unique educational institution which faces…

Project STEPE (Strengthening Teacher Effectiveness Through a Partnership of Equals), designed to improve instruction, involves collaboration between Western Carolina University and seven rural North Carolina school systems. The consortium also includes several institutions associated with education and rural issues, two community colleges,…

This article describes a lateral entry certification program (LEP) which prepared 13 new math and science teachers for rural North Carolina schools. It also presents findings which indicate that LEP participants are as competent in school classrooms and as successful on National Teacher Examinations as traditionally prepared students. (IAH)

Although professional educators and public school decision makers have attempted to respond to increased educational demands and a broader spectrum of students, the education of rural youth is a neglected area both in higher education and in educational legislation. The record indicates that policy decisions and the resulting legislation have…

Twelve North Carolina colleges and universities received state funds to support 3-year pilot programs related to clinical teaching in teacher education. Descriptions of the 12 programs, collectively known as the Model Clinical Teaching Network, are given in this report. These pilot projects include one or more of the following features: use of…