The 1965-1968 progress report of the Western States Small Schools Project focuses on the problem and challenge posed by small schools, which have thus far lacked the depth of resources compared to urban schools. The goals of the project are to assist small schools to: (1) provide individualized programs of career selection education; (2) develop…

A 3-CHOICE ATTITUDINAL SCALE WAS CONSTRUCTED TO DETERMINE COMMUNITY ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS WHICH MIGHT AFFECT THE SCHOOL PROGRAM. THE SCALE WAS CONSTRUCTED AROUND 1 GENERAL AND 4 SPECIFIC CATEGORIES--(1) ADMINISTRATION, (2) FINANCE, (3) GENERAL ATTITUDES, (4) PERSONNEL, AND (5) PROGRAM. THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT IS INCLUDED, AS WELL AS DATA ON…

Ten rural school improvement clusters involving 63 districts, 7 colleges and universities, and 6 state departments of education have been developed in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and North Dakota through the work of the Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory's Rural Education Project. Four essential steps appear necessary for…

Describes how two rural Colorado communities, threatened by the loss of their elementary schools, established a charter school based in two existing facilities. Discusses the benefits of local autonomy, the value of networking with other rural charter schools, the role of the community in school innovations, and emphases on staff development and…

The document presents organizational details of the 18-month Country School Legacy Project (June 1980-December 1981) to begin an on-going inquiry into the history of rural education and current public policies which affect country schools and which will result in greater public use of library facilities and historical collections in public,…

A small rural high school initiated an 8-period day to offer students the increased number of credits required for graduation. Elective offerings, elective enrollments, and participation in extracurricular activities increased. Teachers and students liked shorter classes, grades improved, dropout rates declined, and teacher-pupil ratios dropped in…

One of four programs funded nationally to test the notion that increased efficiency in the use of student and teacher time would result in higher student achievement, the Cotopaxi/Westcliffe Project was unique in that the two Colorado districts involved were small, rural, and operated on a four-day school week. The 4-year intervention consisted of…

A study of historical background of the frontier and rural schools in Colorado describes education in the United State in general and the development of the educational process and school facilities during five phases of Colorado's economic and political development. "The Nation" discusses philosophies generally held during the middle…

THE CAREER SELECTION EDUCATION (CSE) ACTIVITIES OF 14 SCHOOLS IN THE WESTERN STATES SMALL SCHOOLS PROJECT ARE REPORTED. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT WERE TO HELP STUDENTS IN RURAL AREAS MAKE REALISTIC CAREER SELECTIONS, DEVELOP AN AWARENESS OF REQUISITE SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES IN A BROAD SPECTRUM OF CAREERS, AND DEVELOP SPECIFIC JOB ENTRY SKILLS.…

As late as 1938 there were 200,000 one-room schools scattered throughout the United States. By 1978 there were little more than 1,000 in operation. Primary-source research on rural education has now been conducted by 23 researchers in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming, sponsored by the Mountain…