The purpose of this study was to discover what school leaders considered during the decision-making process when adding a transitional kindergarten program and how the decision was made. This study investigated the decision-making process for superintendents and principals by examining decisions made by rural, suburban, and large school…

Since the 2008 implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI) plans in Illinois, rural schools in southern Illinois with a high percentage of low-income students have been compelled to implement school-wide reforms of their reading programs. Often, limited funding makes it difficult to sustain growth trends in Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).…

This investigation focused on the different forms of online collaboration used by current novice teachers in rural districts in Illinois. Two main research questions guided this study: 1) How do novice teachers use online collaboration? and 2) How does online collaboration affect their teaching practice? This study consisted of four qualitative…

Over the past two decades, community organizing has emerged as an effective force for school improvement. In the context of shrinking education funding, stubborn opportunity and achievement gaps between low-income and wealthy children and between children of color and White children, and polarizing debate on school reform, community organizing…

Two rural elementary schools in southern Illinois were chosen from a larger study on the basis of low rates of student violence and bullying behaviors. Features of the schools' supportive and safe environments are compared to those described in theories of engaged pedagogy. A whole-school approach created an atmosphere of caring and shared…

The possibility of converting a vacated school building into a useful resource presents a community with an interesting situation. During a 5-year period ending in 1997, over 100 rural Illinois communities encountered this situation. This report explores what happens to vacant school buildings and offers case studies of various re-uses, new…

In 1985, Illinois adopted state legislation supporting school district mergers. In one rural district studied, local opposition to consolidation was based on self-interest, ideologies of localism and traditionalism, and (to a lesser extent) research information. Implications for policymakers and the complexity of the "local control"…

This is the 2011 Yearbook of the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA). This Yearbook contains five parts. Part I, Invited Chapters, includes: (1) NCPEA President's Message, 2011 (Gary W. Kinsey); (2) Shadows and Images II (Lloyd Duvall); and (3) Micropolitics in the School: Teacher Leaders' Use of Political Skill…

This paper examines recent school district consolidation in Illinois. A literature review summarizes: (1) evidence that led the state of Illinois to offer financial incentives for school and school district consolidation; (2) research on strengths and weaknesses of large and small schools and large and small school districts; and (3) attitudes…

Rural schools typically face multiple challenges related to providing educational opportunities for students and staff. A comparison of curricular offerings in English, foreign languages, and mathematics in a Chicago suburban high school, a rural high school district, and a small rural unit district reveals the curricular disadvantages of small…

This study examines five case studies of proposed school consolidations. None of the five proposed consolidations were voted by their constituents into reality. This report also examines the curricular impact that these variables have upon the secondary course offerings available as well as the lessons learned from 11 Committee of Ten members.…

This volume attempts to document ways in which several communities have dealt with the problems of declining school enrollments. Each case study outlines some type of public participation in the task of adjusting to population changes and fiscal pressures. The first chapter supplies an introductory overview of issues related to declining…

This study profiles two high schools with high enrollments of low-income and racial/ethnic minority students: Thornton Fractional North High School (TF North) and Dumas High School (DHS). Both schools have substantial enrollments of low-income and racial/ethnic minority students and, despite the odds, are successfully preparing students for their…

The finding that turnover rates for school superintendents are highest in small districts has been reflected in a number of studies. To further examine the finding, a survey in Illinois used a stratified random sample of 100 school districts, 32 of which had 499 or less students. With 1974-75 as a base year, the average years served by…