Over half of Finnish elementary schools are small schools employing 1-3 teachers. This paper examines the implementation of new national curriculum policies in two small elementary schools. The new policies, adopted in 1994, stress autonomous control of learning and encourage each individual school, in collaboration with the community, to draw up…

The school legislation of the two-year period here under review comprises the most recent enactments of all the States, since all legislatures met within the period, and six States--Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia--whose lawmakers meet annually, held two meetings of their respective legislative…

Every child today is in contact with the results of scientific discovery and should have at least some understanding of the principles of modern science. The increasing complexities of the age in which we live make this imperative. For this reason, the study of science has become an essential part of the curriculum of every elementary rural and…

Policy recommendations to create school and community partnerships were formulated by educators participating in the School-Community Connection project of the Institute for Responsive Education. Recommendations center on collaboration, partnership and leadership development, standard setting, assessment and accountability, and school-work…

Documents and evaluates effects of inservice teacher education on rural-school teachers' behaviors and beliefs about microcomputers in science teaching. Describes the ENLIST Micros training program and the beliefs, behavior, and evaluation instruments utilized. Results indicated significant changes in teachers' beliefs toward and use of…

Analyzes rural schools in the USSR, arguing their low staff-to-student ratio is the central link to rural schools' myriad problems. Examines how migration to cities and dwindling numbers of villages relate to rural schools and poor agricultural production. States presence of schools helps keep villages alive. Identifies difficulties in maintaining…

Rural schools experience major problems in every aspect of personnel preparation in special education. Review examines what has been done and the problems faced by rural schools in the areas of traditional and nontraditional preservice programs, individual and program qualification mechanisms, personnel recruitment and retention, and retraining…

Examines two case studies of multigrade teachers, and focuses on their diverse teaching styles. Questions what are the critical issues in multigrade teaching, and whether it is possible to identify "best practice" in the multigrade classroom. Suggests necessary skills that should be developed in preservice education as preparation for…

The migrant population is the most undereducated major subgroup in the United States. The high school dropout rate of the children of migrant farm workers is 43 percent, higher than any other group in the United States. It is estimated that over 70 percent of migrants have not completed high school, and 75 percent are functionally illiterate.…

Developed as a text for studying rural education in Canada, this book focuses on the importance of listening to the voices of all stakeholders in education, formulating a shared vision for schooling, and providing leadership that will revitalize schools in sparsely populated areas. Section 1 presents strategic planning as the most promising…

This paper discusses recent demographic and economic trends in Illinois and nationwide and resulting implications for rural schools and communities. Economic and social trends and their impacts on rural schools over the next decade include: (1) a more diverse school population due to growing numbers of Asian and Hispanic immigrants; (2) a greater…

This paper addresses the role of distance education as a means for increasing curricular offerings of small and rural secondary schools. Treating distance education as a "technology" risks repeating the same cycle of false hopes and expectations that has historically accompanied the introduction of technology into education. Instead,…

This book discusses the inclusion of children with disabilities in general education settings and provides accounts of successful inclusive school communities. A prologue by Michael S. Berres is titled "All Children, All Schools." Chapter 1, "Is It Inclusion Yet? Bursting the Bubbles" (Dianne L. Ferguson), reviews the status of…

This book describes the experiences of 26 retired rural school teachers from western Wisconsin. The book was inspired by the community solidarity of the Cloverdale Community Club (Wisconsin) in maintaining the old Cloverdale School building. Cloverdale School was a typical one-room rural school, built in 1857 and closed by the consolidation…

To better prepare preservice teachers for meeting the challenges of student diversity, many universities have strengthened their partnerships with schools to provide sustained, mentored experiences in classroom settings along with concurrent coursework. For the past 5 years, elementary and secondary special education teacher candidates at the…