Multi-Tiered System of Supports is a comprehensive framework that unites colleagues of various backgrounds together in pursuit of a common goal to support students with evidence-based interventions to meet their individual needs in the school setting. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of professional development training teachers…

The purpose of this case study was to evaluate to what extent individual teachers in a small, rural high school have the capacity and pedagogical skills to teach non-English speaking individuals within a sociocultural theoretical framework. Using a mixed methods approach, this case study measured teacher efficacy and their use of best practices…

This paper reports on the ways in which teaching principals in rural schools in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, Canada enact instructional leadership within the five leadership domains conceptualized by Robinson, Lloyd, and Rowe (2008). Although participants suggested that they were "not where they wanted to be" in their efforts to…

Principals need support throughout their careers in order to lead effectively and promote continuous improvement. However, some elementary school principals of small, rural schools lack access to structured systems of support that could increase their knowledge and skills as instructional leaders. The purpose of this study was to examine a central…

The experiences of regional and rural teachers supporting students on the autism spectrum in their classrooms often differ from those of their metropolitan counterparts. Interventions designed for metropolitan settings may not work the same way in regional and rural classrooms, and teachers outside major centres may encounter challenges in…

A pressing need on principals and their demands for personal professional development is improving their performance based on evaluation policy standards. State policy standards dictate how principals evaluate teachers and how they are evaluated. Surveying rural principals we investigated the current understanding of state standards and needs for…

One current policy in Thai government education is to enhance teachers' understanding of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) educational techniques at every level. This study reports the results of a professional development program to assist 134 in-service teachers from 23 small primary schools in rural of Lopburi Province to…

This case study was developed for educational leadership courses addressing supervision and school improvement. Various data are presented for students to analyze and identify key concerns at a low-performing, rural, racially diverse, K-8 school. It challenges leadership candidates to recognize interrelated problems and solutions in a school.…

Teacher recruitment and retention factors were identified in the smallest public school districts in Illinois. Findings were compared to a previous study of Montana rural teacher recruitment and retention conducted by Davis (2002). A quantitative survey instrument was administered to teachers employed in the 24 smallest Illinois school districts.…

The central purpose of this paper is to highlight the research in a context where inclusive education is recognised within current global challenges in education. We aim to present different teaching practices and perceptions of teachers from rural schools regarding attention to diversity, before and during a collaborative action that reinforces…

The aim of the research was to investigate the most effective ways for small rural primary schools to work together in order to improve provision and raise standards. The project sought to examine the circumstances and context of small rural schools in Lincolnshire and evaluate their different leadership models (such as collaborations,…

This qualitative research study explored the perceptions of educators in five small rural high schools regarding meeting the literacy needs of ninth-grade struggling readers in rural settings. Data were obtained from state school report cards, confidential interviews, and anonymous online surveys. Thirteen interview participants provided 91…

In recent years, the teaching staff from the Central Queensland school of Wowan State Primary School have been responding to recently released Education Queensland initiatives or whole school literacy planning, "Literate Futures: Reading" (Education Queensland, 2002), and a framework for pedagogical reform, "Productive…

A survey of 725 rural and small school teachers and principals in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas examined the nature and content of staff development activities, and educator definitions, preferences, and satisfaction related to staff development. (SV)

This packet contains 24 articles reprinted from books and journals dealing with effective staff development in small and rural schools. The articles are arranged in four sections. The first section reviews current research on staff development, discussing workable ideas, decision making principles, and general characteristics of effective staff…