Reviews the nature of rural education and meanings of efficiency as seen in finance-litigation literature. Describes litigation in five rural states (Arkansas, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, West Virginia), highlighting interpretations of the "thorough and efficient" clause within these states' constitutions. Rural schools' small size and…

What is known about rural science education is derived from perceptions with little empirical data available. Science educators need to develop a database related to rural education to better meet needs of rural children. Available data should be analyzed to provided a framework on which rural science education may grow. (BRR)

Surveyed Kansas teachers from small, medium, and large schools to determine if there were differences in instructional duties of teachers in schools of different sizes. Revealed that, although there were many similarities in types of duties required, teachers in small schools do have more noninstructional duties. (AH)

Surveyed public school counselors (N=338) in Maine to determine effect of rural setting on school counselors. Found that counselors in rural districts perceived their relationships with their administrators in significantly more positive manner than did counselors in nonrural settings. Rural counselors found adequacy and availability of referral…

Finds that 138 rural and 76 urban Kansas principals differed significantly on 10 of 20 attitude questions concerning gifted education, including the state mandate placing gifted students under special education provisions, their local school program, the principal's role, and their philosophy of education for the gifted. Contains 12 references.…

Approximately 230 Louisiana principals and assistant principals were surveyed about social networking behaviors and topics discussed with other administrators. There were no differences by location, except that rural administrators discussed student discipline less often than other administrators. Among rural administrators, there were no…

As a designated service integration state, West Virginia is developing and implementing enhanced services to children in need. One state effort is the development and use of "Multi-Use Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals." The application includes a parental waiver statement, which, when signed, allows income information…

This study analyzed the relationship between urban and rural cultures and subjects' selection of attributes and groupings in a task of equivalence formation. Participants were 236 subjects, ages 6, 12, and 17, from rural and urban Argentina and from New York City. Subjects were administered an Equivalence Task consisting of two arrays of stimuli.…

Home schooling has the potential to greatly impact the education system but has received little attention compared to other educational trends. This report draws on the 1994 October Current Population Survey and the 1996 and 1999 National Household Education Surveys (NHES) to determine the extent of home schooling and the social, demographic, and…

A 60-item questionnaire, part of the Occupational Stress Inventory, was administered to 165 beginning special education teachers in Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Significantly higher levels of job-related stress were found for rural compared to urban teachers and for female compared to male teachers. (SV)

This report presents data on the distribution of minority group students and staff in the public schools of Connecticut in 1986. The data were collected to comply with federal accounting standards for minority groups. The findings are presented for the 22.5 percent minority student enrollment and the 6.2 percent minority staff persons in the…

The Bender Gestalt protocols of 134 rural and 140 children (6-18 years old) found to have IQ scores in the slow learner range (IQ 70-84) were compared. The Bender Gestalt Test, used in psychoeducational evaluation to determine eligibility for special education placement, was administered to determine Ss' level of visual motor skills. Rural slow…

A mental ability test and an achievement battery were administered to a large sample of grades 4, 7, and 10 students from a midwestern province in Canada. Findings, in general, showed higher achievement in a majority of subtests with no sex and jurisdiction interactions. (Author/LMO)

Twenty-five rural educators completed a 12-item Q-sort on stress factors. Resolving parent/school conflicts was the most stressful, followed by handling student discipline, and completing reports on time. The stressors varied somewhat from stressors listed by urban teachers, but only slightly. (BRR)

Examines the issues unique to delivery of school psychological services in a rural setting. Suggests that professionals who do not come from rural backgrounds are seldom able to identify with rural clients, while rural clients are seldom aware of and responsive to psychological models. (AH)