The rural work force has lower basic skills to supply labor for new jobs with higher literacy demands. At all levels of education the rural population is at a disadvantage compared with the urban population. One out of five rural adults in Pennsylvania has not continued education past the eighth grade. Among the costs to businesses from employee…

This paper offers criticism of rural education research methods, and identifies areas in need of more or better systematic inquiry. It suggests the need to increase the quantity of the highest quality of research and the need for researchers to reach policy makers and "mainstream" education journals more effectively. Five main problems…

RURAL YOUTH ARE CONFRONTED WITH THE SERIOUS PARADOX OF OPPORTUNITY AND FRUSTRATION. OPPORTUNITIES ARE PLENTIFUL FOR THOSE WHO POSSESS SKILLS AND ABILITIES NECESSARY FOR COMPETING IN OUR TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED SOCIETY, BUT LIMITED FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO COMPETE IN OUR SOCIETY EITHER IN JOB COMPETITION OR IN SOCIAL PROCESSES. THE…

A general look at rural and/or small schools is the focus of this state of the art review. The historical perspective of the report begins in 1918, when the trend toward consolidation of one-room schools was first indicated and continues into and well beyond the depression. It is reported that the number of school districts decreased from 127,000…

Education is a wider learning process than actual schooling which may be too long and indirect to generate needed improvements. Creating a group of formally trained people is not sufficient to overcome the inertia of organizational structures which have inherent survival ability. Education is seen as a way to enter other types of occupations and…

A study of 243 beginning teachers in Ohio rural settings explored relationships between teachers' effectiveness ratings and two preservice factors--undergraduate college grade point average and rural, suburban, or urban high school backgrounds. A highly significant relationship existed between grade point average and teacher effectiveness but not…

Reports findings of survey of access to, attitudes towards, and knowledge about computers among 262 rural and 2,065 urban secondary students and 37 rural and 665 urban elementary/secondary educators. Shows rural students had more positive attitudes toward computers and greater access to computers. (NEC)

Special education teachers in rural and urban areas in California were asked to rate their present skill level and desired skill level for 13 bilingual special education teaching competencies. Both groups desired higher skills in all competencies, and both selected parent training skills as competencies they most desired to gain. (JHZ)

Sums up the current status of rural education research, offers explanations for the present situation, and argues for two essential steps in developing a rural research and development agenda: adoption of overarching research paradigms to guide future inquiry and consensus concerning the substantive issues to be studied. (JHZ)

Using the Self-Descriptive Inventory, compares development of self-concept, self-esteem, self-ideal in physical maturity, peer relations, academic success, school adaptiveness in 50 rural children (Hatch, New Mexico) and 50 urban children (Las Cruces New Mexico). Finds negative patterns in academic success and school adaptiveness more pronounced…

Discusses semantic complexities rampant in attempts to define rurality. Examines environmental and economic aspects of rurality and impacts on education. Proposes a definition of rurality based on five human considerations: approximate geographic divisions, level of access to community services, industry type, population makeup, and the…

Discusses current problems and issues facing vocational special education in rural areas, including limited educational access resulting from isolation, teacher shortages, and financial problems; curriculum shortcomings; lack of relevance to local job market; and lack of local employment opportunities. Describes successful rural strategies,…

Several studies raise serious doubts about whether economic development should be a goal for rural education and whether a causal relationship exists between education level and income. This study sought to determine the nature of the relationship between level of schooling and income level. Census data from 1940 to the present for 13 rural states…

This report reviews research on rural education produced between 1986 and 1993. The review focuses on equity of educational opportunity; financial, curricular, and staffing issues; research agendas; and educational reform. The literature demonstrates that educational opportunity for rural school populations often is substandard, especially when…

Addressing the need for research on rural schools, the Federal Interagency Committee on Education (FICE), Subcommittee on Rural Education, identified six priority topics representing the most compelling concerns of rural education. This pamphlet serves as a stimulus for researchers to study rural education issues and share their findings with the…