A growing body of research suggests that low job satisfaction among teachers may lead to undesired consequences for educators, students, and communities. The greatest impact appears to be a high rate of attrition among teachers, which is growing (NCTAF, 2007). Teacher effectiveness, teacher retention, and student achievement can be directly…

Teachers' decisions about staying in a position are influenced by three classes of variables: employment, personal, and external. In a North Dakota study of the relationship between these variables and job retention in rural areas, 42 special education teachers and related service personnel who had left their positions in the past year (leavers)…

What kind of impact have the last decade's radical changes in types of economic systems, property ownership, and opportunities for employment had on the rural youth of Russia? This paper examines this topic by presenting a survey of upper-grade students in rural schools in a region of Saratov Oblast in 1994, 1997, and 2004, using the same…

This article is a first person's account of working in a rural district affected by drought, economic recession and poor levels of services. It is a facto-fictional narrative describing a typical working day in the life of Peggy, the acting CEO of quality teaching, in what is locally referred to as an NIDA district (where everyone is acting).…

School districts nationwide, but especially rural districts, are finding it hard to recruit and retain administrators. In the past 25 years, administrators have had to address increasing demands for special programs, collaborative decision making, and accountability. In addition, potential for conflict with school boards and various constituencies…

A study of 508 Ohio principals found that administrators in the rural Appalachian region of Ohio perceived their jobs as harder than other educators, but were less likely to leave and were more focused on place than on professional issues. The administrator shortage, efforts to groom teachers for administration jobs, and a typical working day for…

A survey concerning teacher mobility, completed by 94 past and current teachers in a rural British Columbia school district, found that teachers left because of geographic isolation, weather conditions, distance from larger communities and family, and inadequate shopping facilities. Teachers stayed because of their principal, spouse employment in…

The rural school superintendency is, in many ways, as demanding and difficult as the urban superintendency. Chapter 1 of this book provides a working definition of a rural small school district, an estimation of the number of rural systems in the nation that fit the criteria, and a profile of rural small school superintendents. Chapter 2 discusses…

This paper argues that rural poverty remains relatively invisible because, although shameful, it is profitable, and the rural poor pose little threat to their suburban neighbors. This is illustrated via interrogation concerning a rural poultry plant fire. The paper examines implications of this case for foundations scholars and educational…

This paper reviews the literature on effective schools from the rural teacher's viewpoint. While research on rural education has frequently focused on economic and structural issues, the teacher is the key to the quality of rural education. However, rural teachers encounter more stressful teaching conditions than urban or suburban teachers,…

Questionnaire responses were used to study 99 first-year teachers and their reasons for accepting present positions. Teachers in rural, suburban, and urban districts differed significantly on reasons for accepting their positions but agreed on financial rewards and degree of support as reasons for considering teaching positions in other districts.…

A survey of 258 speech language pathologists (SLPs) practicing in Arkansas examined employment patterns of SLPs in rural schools. Respondents employed in schools remained longer in those positions than did their counterparts in health care, and most SLPs that left a school took positions in other schools. Reasons for changing jobs and implications…

It is not uncommon for beginning teachers in Queensland (Australia) to be assigned their first teaching placement in a rural area. Many of these teachers stay there for the minimum time that they must, then seek to relocate to a coastal city. The literature and interviews with beginning rural teachers suggest that those who view the experience…

Focuses on the shortcomings and advantages of rural special education itinerant service delivery and suggests practical strategies for dealing with difficult work conditions. Includes implications for school administrators and teacher-training personnel. Emphasizes that itinerant teachers themselves must adjust to change, modify expectations, and…

Rural schools in South Africa are often found on farms. These "farm schools" are usually erected by the farmer to educate the children of farm laborers. While officially public schools, farm schools are on private property and maintained through private funds. The history of farm schools is closely linked with the political history of…