A 1982-83 study conducted at Brigham Young University compared K-12 rural schools with fewer than 300 students to those with enrollments of 301-900, using information from districts in 45 states. Of the 15,601 American K-12/1-12 public school systems, 1,414 (9.1%) were identified as enrolling 300 students or fewer, and 2,711 (17.4%) enrolled…

Of the 105 small K-12 rural public school districts (enrollments under 900) identified in the Colorado study, 19 were randomly chosen for use in gathering information to assist educators in understanding and improving the education of rural residents. A 100% response rate to the 123-item questionnaire mailed to superintendents provided information…

This monograph, structured for administrative use in analyzing and building systems for selecting teachers, outlines the legal, applied, and theoretical issues of teacher selection. This overview is presented in five sections. "Legal Aspects of Teacher Selection" examines individual rights and employer reactions in relation to federal and state…

In view of the emphasis on money as a motivator mentioned in reports examining theoretical notions about teacher motivation, this paper focuses on the efficacy of using salary to attract quality teacher candidates. Although standarized testing and internship programs often supplement inadequate certification requirements, critics question the…

To improve the quality of teaching in New York State's schools, state and local policy-makers must consider a number of issues that affect teaching quality. These issues are outlined in this booklet, which also provides a number of policy recommendations. The basic concepts reviewed are (1) the assumptions that underlie the collaborative endeavor…

Methods of attracting, preparing, and retaining a solid cadre of dedicated, effective teachers in Wisconsin's schools are considered. Ideas and programs are offered for local school boards, the state legislature, teachers and administrators, and the general public. Specific recommendations are made on: (1) attracting competent individuals to…

The study was intended to determine the basis of intra- and interstate credit transfer for migrant students and how credit transfer can be improved. The Secretaries of Education Committees in State Legislatures and Departments of Education in Puerto Rico and all states except California responded to an open-ended survey. Over 80% of all states…

This report by the Committee on Excellence and Equity in Education provides 38 recommendations for improvement of public elementary and secondary schools in New Hampshire. The committee divided itself into four subcommittees that focused on recommendations pertaining to each of the following groups: (1) State Board of Education, State Department…

Perceived negative aspects of teaching in rural areas, including personal and professional isolation, multiple subject preparation, etc., provide barriers to effective recruitment and retention of quality teachers. The predicted shortage of teachers will likely have a significant impact on an already competitive market for high quality, rural…

Three separate reports are bound together in this volume. Each examines one area of the transition from school to work in order to identify how elements of the process differ for blacks and women compared to whites and white males, and how these elements might better meet the needs of blacks and women. The three papers, and their authors, are as…

Presenting a brief outline of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' (BIA) educational program in Alaska, this pamphlet describes: BIA day school operations (52 schools); the 2 boarding school operations (Mount Edgecumbe and Wrangell Institute); higher education programs; the school nutrition program; school construction; cooperation in educational…

Project PRIDE, a regional model for providing educational services to severely/profoundly handicapped school-aged individuals in rural southeastern Kansas, was designed to develop exemplary services in multiple special education cooperatives using a regional resource team approach. Resource team members served as consultants to classroom personnel…

Under the 1998 reauthorization of Title II of the Higher Education Act, the secretary of education is required to issue annual reports to Congress on the state of teacher quality nationwide. "Meeting the Highly Qualified Teachers Challenge" is the inaugural report on this important issue. The 1998 reauthorization also established a…

While the nation's public school population is growing in racial/ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity, the teaching force is not. This shortage of minority teachers results from declining or static minority college enrollment, inadequate precollegiate academic preparation, certification barriers to the profession, and dwindling interest of…

This information kit describes the importance of having skilled and well-prepared teachers in all American classrooms. Section 1, "Why We Must Invest in Good Teaching," explains that "Good Teaching Makes a Difference." Section 2, "The Current State of Teaching in America: Five Barriers to Increasing Student…