In the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic, teachers were forced to quickly determine how to deliver a free appropriate public education to their students when in-person instruction was not possible. School districts and states have a variety of ways to provide supports to their teachers. One method for providing technical assistance,…

Rural poverty rises to higher levels than poverty in urban and suburban areas, and rural communities and their schools face greater isolation, which means that families must travel farther than their urban and suburban counterparts to access available services and learning opportunities. Elaine Weiss describes two rural communities, one in…

Using data gathered from students attending Southeast Community and Technical College in Harlan County, Kentucky, this article discusses how a commitment to place informs and shapes rural students' decisions around post-secondary education, career, and residence. Though some students connected advanced education with rural outmigration, other…

Federal education funding has often been overlooked by districts in search of sources of support for prevention. This guide is intended to help school districts take advantage of those funds by identifying K-12 grant programs in the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that could be used to implement prevention efforts in elementary and secondary…

Facing financial difficulties, the Webster County Public School System in rural Kentucky implemented a four-day school week to save money on transportation and staffing. The district's research in the experience of other rural districts had indicated that such a calendar change could increase efficiency and also yield some unexpected benefits.…

A summer program in Whitesburg, Kentucky teaches local youths video and audio production, then sends them into the community to produce documentaries. The program teaches marketable skills and helps participants view their community in a positive light and become active, contributing members. The program's success has spawned an after-school…

Focusing state and federal dollars on targeted areas, the Kentucky Appalachian Community Development Initiative helps communities in eastern Kentucky fund their own strategies for economic growth. In Hindman, the project focuses on creating the Kentucky School of Crafts, to train master artisans; supporting the Kentucky Appalachian Artisan Center;…

Describes 11 Appalachian Regional Commission funded projects designed to improve education in Kentucky, many of which focus on dropout prevention, including Laurel County Alternative School, Owsley County Dropout Prevention Program, ADOPT, Pine Mountain Settlement School, Technical Assistance Grant, potential projects, documentary on dropout…

Traces the history of the settlement school; describes cultural programs it now offers to supplement the county school system in art and music, day care, adult education, bookmobile services, and Appalachian folk arts; also describes school-sponsored regional writers' workshops, Appalachian Family Folk Week, and Appalachian Visual Arts Week. (JD)

Results of interviews conducted among a sample of long-term rural residents and back-to-the-land immigrants in a small community in a rural county in Kentucky are compared for values held and attitudes toward the public school system. The present situation is analyzed in light of the controversy over cultural pluralism and subsequent actions taken…

Describes the beginnings of the Foxfire instructional approach; its spread in eastern Kentucky, supported by the Eastern Kentucky Teachers Network; and its special relevance for rural and Appalachian children. Includes comments by teachers and students about their educational experiences and class projects. (SV)

Although there are many sources of information about "effective schools" programs, those that specifically address the needs of rural areas are often overlooked. This document offers a collection of program descriptions to help educators determine programs and practices that appear to be effective in rural and small schools. Program…

Operating under a grant, the University for Man (UFM) in Manhattan, Kansas, tested the transferability of the UFM free university/community education model using four existing statewide delivery systems (public libraries, a private college consortium, a state cooperative extension service, an office of rural affairs) in five states: Kentucky,…

Describes Eastern Kentucky Teachers' Network (EKTN), developed by Foxfire Teacher Outreach program for training teachers in "Foxfire approach" to education. Describes development of EKTN from summer workshop idea to three-woman office. Describes classroom projects initiated by EKTN, and program's effect on teachers. (TES)

Appalachia has a history of isolation, poverty, substandard education and services, and economic exploitation by outside forces, but also has a long history of resistance and community organizing. This paper describes three rural Appalachian community organizations whose mission is the strengthening and empowering of communities as well as…