Data use is considered a key lever in school improvement processes, but the punitive pressure of high-stakes accountability can influence whether or not data use is enacted in ways which facilitate improvement. School leaders must learn to respond to high-stakes accountability in ways which lead teachers to feel safe, efficacious, and agentic with…

This study examines the drug resistance strategies described by Native Hawaiian youth residing in rural communities. Sixty-four youth from 7 middle and intermediate schools on the Island of Hawai'i participated in a series of gender-specific focus groups. Youth responded to 15 drug-related problem situations developed and validated from prior…

Students (N = 221) in an intermediate school (grades 5-8) in a rural area of the Southwestern United States completed a survey regarding their familiarity with technology and their experiences with cyberbullying during the school year. Initial evidence of survey reliability is presented. In the sample, 1.5% of participants were classified as…

The combination of programed instruction and feedback had a positive impact on four resource teachers working with gifted students (Grades 5 through 7) in a rural area of North Carolina, where education for gifted and talented students is mandated. (CL)

The article describes a model two-week summer enrichment program for gifted and talented sixth- and seventh-graders in King William County, Virginia, a rural, low socioeconomic area. (DLS)

Pilot-testing of a cardiovascular health education curriculum with 218 American Indian and Hispanic fifth graders in rural New Mexico noted significant increases in knowledge about the cardiovascular system, exercise, nutrition, obesity, tobacco use, and habit change, suggesting that the culturally oriented program may help promote a healthy…

Fifth- and sixth-grade students from portions of New Brunswick (Canada) and Maine in the Saint John River Valley discussed what their community means to them and the changing economics of this region. An interactive role-playing game led to a debate concerning the economic and environmental impacts of a proposed salmon ladder on the river. (LP)

Describes a teacher-designed "pocket of excellence" in a small, rural Georgia community. In the Delta Project, teachers began with a commitment to meet students' affective and cognitive needs; proceeded to develop and implement changes in curriculum, instruction, and traditional team organization; and invited a university research team…

The Maine studies program at a rural Maine middle school begins in the sixth grade and expands through the eighth grade. Students camp out, explore Maine's geography, and learn about themselves, their state's history, and the state's diverse populations. Two multischool programs, Exchanging Maine's Cultures and the Curriculum Integration…

Presents a lesson plan in which students explore ideas about rural and urban areas by examining census data and advertisements from magazines. Discusses how the students collect and record the census data and calculate percentages, representing them on circle graphs. Includes an extension activity. (CMK)

Examines two adolescents' narratives collected when evaluating a multicultural arts festival held at a middle school located in an isolated, economically depressed, Christian fundamentalist, rural southern community. Students' complaints about teachers' racist, uncaring behavior represent not a cynical, negative derision of schools, but a…

Profiles the Indiana Exchange Project, an endeavor that uses technology to link fourth-grade teachers and students from three geographically and ethnically diverse communities. The students exchange letters, photographs, response journals, local newspapers, and videotapes of classroom and community activities. Includes an example of a summary…