Much of the Northwest Region (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington) is rural in nature. A characteristic of the extractive economies such as timber, agriculture, mining, and fisheries is that they are generally located in small communities isolated by distances. While schools in these communities face the same challenges as those in…

Disaggregating the data across four school variables--size, locale, racial/ethnic minority population, and population eligible for free or reduced-price lunch--this study examines the extent to which Oregon grade 9-12 students enrolled in high school math courses during 2006/07 and 2007/08 would not have been on track to graduate had the new…

Surveyed 384 teachers in small schools in Oregon concerning their perceptions of the adequacy of preparation in specific areas of preservice training, i.e., practical methods, reading, curriculum, broad number of subjects, specific grades, several grades, discipline, rural problems, resources, counseling, community relations, classroom…

In order to meet the needs of the students in a small rural school (Corbett High School in Oregon), 3 projects have been instituted which are geared to individual student interest, vocational choice, and ability. The first project, a non-graded language arts program, was developed by existing staff. Students in grades 9 through 12 are grouped by…

The examination of career education preparation needs specifically for teachers in rural or small schools was conducted by teacher education faculty at Eastern Oregon State College and the faculty of a school district in rural northeast Oregon. Imbler School District, which opted for an infusion approach to career education rather than a separate…

Various approaches to individualized learning were presented at this 1973 summer institute, attended by 426 administrators and teachers. Major topics included individualized learning, steps of the learning process, open classrooms, contracting, learning centers, management systems, goals, and resource packets. It was noted that the idea of…

A science teacher at small, rural Sheridan High School (Oregon) describes the development of a three-county telecommunications network for science teachers; benefits of the network in relieving teacher isolation and providing resources; and teacher and student use of the network in project-based science instruction. (SV)

During a 1979-1980 pilot project, 13 nine-week residencies by professional artists were sponsored in 10 eastern Oregon school districts with Eastern Oregon State College serving as liaison, the Northwest Area Foundation of St. Paul (Minnesota) contributing $33,500, and participating school districts adding a total of $8,000 in funding. This low…

An Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title III project, the 1971-72 Oregon Small Schools Program (OSSP) objectives were (1) to increase member schools receptivity to new and better ideas in education; (2) to implement new programs and apply new techniques consistent with the Oregon Board of Education priority objectives and with the…

Small, sometimes multi-cultural, rural schools need specialized preservice teacher education programs to prepare teachers. After outlining the classroom, school, and sociocultural characteristics affecting a teacher's success and survival in a rural community, this paper discusses the apparent lack of rural content in teacher preparation programs…

A description is presented of the annual, week-long small schools summer institute sponsored by the Oregon Small Schools Association, and the Oregon Small Schools Program. (KR)

Describes four small school programs, i.e., curriculum enrichment through use of volunteer instructors, "Saturday Class" assignments for disciplinary purposes, elementary science classes visiting high school classes, and improving basic instruction through meaningful inservice programs. (AH)

The 4-day school week offers solutions to the financial and instructional problems often faced by small rural schools. Two southern Oregon schools implemented the 4-day school week on a trial basis in 1982-83 and, along with five eastern Oregon districts, continue to use this schedule today. The primary purpose of the change to a 4-day week was…

To encourage the schools to train students in broad and flexible occupational competencies rather than specific job skills, the Oregon Department of Education has promoted the cluster concept of vocational education. Of the 14 occupational clusters identified as being economically significant in Oregon, business competencies in the accounting,…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) A State of the States Roundup: State Governors Address High School Reform and College Preparation; and (2) "Big…