Information obtained by combining data collected from a panel of high school sophomores (1966) and seniors (1968) with a recent post-high school follow-up (1972) is used to address the question: Do youth, both whites and blacks, who attend racially desegregated schools, have educational aspirations and expectations which are significantly…

The provision of ongoing psychological services to small rural schools has been a continuing problem to administrators for some time. With the advent of Plan A Comprehensive Special Education in Texas, small districts with less than 3,000 average daily attendance were encouraged to form cooperatives for special education services. The challenge to…

This report focuses on the noteworthy achievement and the successful practices of 12 rural schools in the southern region that are members of the "High Schools That Work" (HSTW) school improvement network. Although these schools enroll high percentages of minority and/or impoverished students, they have managed to outperform rural…

Texas small/rural schools often band together to receive services or programs that would not otherwise be available to them. Services and programs are from Regional Education Service Centers and from the Texas Education Agency. Banding together also increases the schools' influence on political and legislative decisions. (CM)

Using data from Texas and Wisconsin to estimate cost functions for elementary and secondary education, examines whether the structure of certain cost-function relationships is different in rural versus nonrural school districts. Finds that although cost structures are similar, factors such as small schools and large percentages of economically…

Surveys of 663 students in grades 3-6 in 6 small rural Texas school districts found that student attitudes toward mathematics became more negative as they progressed through elementary school. Girls had more positive attitudes than boys, but gender differences decreased at higher grade levels. (SV)

The field independent/field dependent tendencies of one-hundred and forty-three (143) Mexican American pupils in two rural, South Texas high schools was assessed. Teachers were given training in the educational implications of cognitive style on the learning process, and training to operate a classroom model designed to accommodate a specific…

This report pays tribute to the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Rural Systemic Initiatives (RSIs), an investment of more than $140 million to improve mathematics and science education in some of rural America's most impoverished communities. The report illustrates the impact of NSF's RSI program on a national scale. Each RSI planned a project…

A former superintendent of a small school district in rural Texas describes the conditions and needs of the district and reflects on school consolidation and alternative solutions to the district's problems. In 1994, the district enrolled 650 students. Facilities were 30 years old and in constant need of repair, with leaking roofs and unsafe…

Legislated change in rural schools districts may be slow and painful. This paper describes the ambience of a rural Texas K-12 school through the eyes of a new science teacher with northern and urban education experience and through the observations of an outside researcher. Attitudes that learning is not important, that hard subjects need not be…

Describes four small school programs, i.e., curriculum enrichment through use of volunteer instructors, "Saturday Class" assignments for disciplinary purposes, elementary science classes visiting high school classes, and improving basic instruction through meaningful inservice programs. (AH)

Examined implementation of state-mandated site-based management (SBM) in Texas high schools. Teacher and principal surveys indicated that state-level reform policies were subject to interpretation at the school level. Urban schools had high levels of SBM program structure but low teacher perceptions of decision making responsibility. Case studies…

In 1973 a survey of teachers (361) and administrators (41) in 44 very small West-Texas secondary schools revealed highly positive opinions about the small secondary school and its educative and social functions. The same survey sent to the same schools in 1983 revealed similar positive opinions. Surveys covered three items: (1) teaching and…

The purpose of the study was to refine a method to identify critical tasks and administrative behaviors utilized to effectively administer a specialized program in smaller school districts. Vocational education was the special program investigated. Data were gathered by personal interviews with 72 superintendents and a composite of 85 high school…

Gaining insight into rural school superintendents' concerns about serving special needs students in inclusive classrooms could help minimize problems in implementing this change. A survey using the Change Facilitator's Stages of Concerns Questionnaire was mailed to superintendents in all 708 rural school districts in Texas; 484 responses were…