There are many factors influencing the learning environment in public school settings. As such, the recognition of developing a multidimensional approach incorporating a variety of "tools" for a teacher's toolbox can prove to be very effective. Research indicates that movement is one such tool that can increase the capacity for students…

School climate is one of the most significant factors in solidifying an effective learning environment. In today's complex educational system, leaders face daily challenges in the world of high stakes testing and state accreditation that force them to ensure that they have implemented reforms that will provide sustained improvement in student…

In this multiple case study, we apply sense-making theory to examine and compare how middle school special and general educators perceive and respond to teacher evaluation reform, including formal classroom observations, informal walk-throughs, and student growth measures. Our findings reveal that special educators experience conflict between the…

The purpose of this mixed-methods explanatory case study was to determine the impact of a reduced school calendar on student achievement for students in grades 9 through 12 in two rural school districts in Virginia and to explore meanings associated with this change. The study focused on two research questions: how does student performance during…

Middle school students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience academic decline within each school year, characterized by deteriorating grades from the first grading period to the last. This study reexamines whether the Challenging Horizons Program-Consultation Model (CHP-C) effectively reduces or delays academic…

We implemented a sequential mixed methods design using parallel samples to answer our general research question: What are high school students' definitions of intelligence and implicit beliefs about the malleability of intelligence? We surveyed 9th and 11th grade students who responded to questions about their intelligence beliefs on open- and…

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…

Whereas a controversial new book claims that racial background is a strongly associated with intelligence and achievement in life, the Surrey County (Virginia) Schools are proving that success depends more on expectations. Under Superintendent C.P. Penn's direction, the largely black, rural county has become a state leader in the percentage of…

In 2002-2003, 27% (12.5 million) of public school students attended school in communities of fewer than 25,000 and 19% (8.8 million) attended school in smaller communities of fewer than 2,500. In this report, the authors focus on the schools in those smaller communities, the most rural schools in America. They frame the report around 22…

Studied perceptions of at-risk students in elementary, middle, and high school who were academically successful. Findings from 62 students from urban, suburban, and rural Virginia show the personality characteristics, dispositions, and beliefs that promoted academic success, regardless of background. Internal locus of control and a strong sense of…

The U.S. Department of Education is supporting a 3-year program involving Virginia Tech's computer department and a rural public elementary school. The project seeks to determine whether immersive access to networked computing by students and their families has measurable effects on long-term student achievement. A fifth-grade classroom was…

This study analyzed the kinds of involvement with schools parents want and what keeps parents from being involved. An extended introduction discusses the nature of parent involvement programs, barriers to their implementation, and the role of parents and teachers in the programs. A survey concerning parent involvement was given to parents of 305…

This paper summarizes the first 2 years of a school improvement effort in a low-performing rural school district in southern Virginia that involved developing a balanced K-12 curriculum aligned with the state's standards of learning. Project evaluation focused on changes in the school environment and in teaching and learning that resulted from the…

A study examined factors related to effectiveness of rural Title I schoolwide programs by comparing two more-effective and two less-effective rural elementary schools--one in each of four Virginia districts. Effectiveness was determined by student achievement levels on standardized tests in comparison to the scores expected based on social and…

DESCRIBED ARE THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY SCHOOL PROJECT (1966-67), WHICH WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF INTENSIVE READING INSTRUCTION IN A RURAL SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE PROJECT LASTED APPROXIMATELY 7 MONTHS AND INVOLVED NEARLY 1,500 STUDENTS. DESIGNED AS A CORRECTIVE READING PROGRAM FOR ALL CHILDREN IN GRADES ONE THROUGH 10 IN…