Alabama has serious economic and social problems, and the situation is worse in rural areas and small towns than in urban areas. The solutions to the problems of small communities must be found within the communities themselves. Sustainable communities are those that aggressively manage their destiny, based on a realistic and well planned vision.…

If effects of education reforms in the future are similar to effects of education reforms in the past, it may take between 65 and 780 years to close racial achievement gaps in math and science (Taylor, in preparation). From a review of the literature, I found that educational reforms, directed toward eliminating achievement differences associated…

When two New Orleans Elementary Schools were integrated in 1960, Whites left the school and racial violence occurred. Two reasons for this are discussed in the context of books written about the incidents. Desegregation failed, and the schools are still segregated. (VM)

This report examines recent qualitative and quantitative research to determine how school-related violence was both measured and perceived among various social groups. It reviews sources that addresses such questions as: What is school-related violence? What do statistics reveal about school-related violence? How diverse is public opinion…

This report explores issues related to expanding the roles of schools and youth in rural community development. It is suggested that rural schools, when working in partnership with local leaders and residents, can have a positive impact on community viability. The report is based on a project involving a partnership between a local school system…