Effective use of classroom management practices is critical to creating positive classroom climates supporting students' academic and behavioral outcomes, and teachers in rural areas have a strong need for training in classroom management. One classroom management practice with significant support is behavior-specific praise (BSP). Research shows…

In this program description, we examined the impact of East Carolina University's educator preparation program on beginning special educators' preparedness and confidence to meet professional standards and fulfill their job responsibilities using Q methodology. For this work, undergraduate interns who were enrolled in a rural-focused teacher…

Lions Connected (LC) is an inclusive postsecondary program approved by the U.S. Department of Education; thus meeting rigorous program standards and accountability. Equally important is that it gives eligible students from rural areas the opportunity to receive federal financial aid to attend college. The purpose of developing LC was to meet the…

Research shows that transition planning for students with disabilities is an ongoing process that requires the collaboration of students, families, and teachers to ensure a successful adult life for students after graduation (Clark, 1996; Clark & Unruh, 2010; Gil, 2007; Kellems & Morningstar, 2010). This study examined the insights of the…

Often, development organizations confront a tradeoff between program priorities and operational constraints. These constraints may be financial, capacity, or logistical; regardless, the tradeoff often requires sacrificing portions of a program. This work is concerned with figuring out how, when constrained, an organization or program manager can…

Professional learning is crucial for the ongoing development of teachers and the improvement of student outcomes. Professional learning in mathematics and science education has the potential to address concerns about shortages in these areas and their impact on economic growth. However, attendance at face-to-face professional learning is…

Accountability and assessment are critical components to the success of schools today. As leaders of school districts, superintendents in Texas and across the nation are faced daily with meeting this challenge. While doing so, they must remember that their priority commitment is not to testing programs, but to helping children achieve.…

This report summarizes the activities and findings of Horizon Research, Inc. (HRI) in its external evaluation of Rural Physics Teacher Resource Agents (PTRA) project. The report details HRI's work and findings since June 2002. The project is on schedule for going to scale with the rural centers model, establishing four centers in Year One and…

This report summarizes the activities and findings of Horizon Research, Inc. (HRI) in its external evaluation of the American Association of Physic Teachers (APPT's) Rural Physics Teacher Resource Agents (PTRA) project. The report details HRI's work and findings since June 2004. The report is divided into five main sections. The first provides an…

The document contains the final report of the Harleyville (South Carolina) Early Learning Program (Project HELP), a 3 year model demonstration project to serve three young children with developmental delays or special needs, and their families, in a rural, multicultural environment. The first eight sections describe the activities and outcomes of…

This study surveys states' mandates, definitions, and components of transition programs that assist disabled students in successfully moving to the community environment. Among the 60 state-level directors of special education surveyed, 34 state and 4 territorial directors responded to the questionnaire comprised of 8 questions, and nominated 230…

This report describes activities and accomplishments of a 3-year project at Sinte Gleska University (South Dakota) which revised the school's Human Services curriculum and training model and normed a variety of assessment instruments on Lakota people. Sinte Gleska University is a tribally chartered institution, located on an Indian reservation,…

This document consists of materials produced during the Workplace Partnership Project (WPP), a National Workplace Literacy Program-funded workplace literacy partnership between Alpena Community College (ACC) in Alpena, Michigan, and area businesses. Presented first is a personal reflection in which the project director shares some of the lessons…

This report examines rural practice in adult literacy programs and estimates the extent and nature of rural illiteracy. Surveys were sent to 3,287 rural literacy programs; more than 700 program directors responded for a return rate of 22 percent. In addition, 150 program directors and key state literacy contacts were interviewed by telephone.…

During the 1988-89 school year, 55 Writing to Read (WTR) labs were installed in Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia elementary schools, as the result of a partnership between the Appalachian Regional Commission and the IBM Corporation. This report evaluates the WTR program implemented in 13 southern West Virginia rural schools with poor,…