Describes cooperative budget-stretching ventures of two small school districts in rural Illinois. The Bluffs and Triopia K-12 districts have joint programs in staff development; social work and guidance services; speech therapy; purchasing; and vocational, special, and gifted education. (MLH)

Describes characteristics of the 100 largest school districts, such as district size (defined as the number of students in membership), number and average size of schools, pupil/teacher ratios, number of high school graduates, number of special education students, and minority enrollment. Data are from the Common Core of Data Program of the…

This study examines why 51 schools declined an invitation to participate in a state-funded educator incentive initiative, the Texas Educator Excellence Grant (TEEG) program. Using data from an ongoing evaluation of the TEEG program conducted by the National Center on Performance Incentives (NCPI) under contract with Texas Education Agency, this…

In the era of No Child Left Behind, principals are increasingly held accountable for student performance. But are teacher labor agreements giving them enough flexibility to manage effectively? This study answers this question and others. It examines how much flexibility school leaders enjoy on key dimensions of management in America's fifty…

A compelling body of research shows that when students are part of smaller and more intimate learning communities, they are more successful. The latest research demonstrates that small schools, particularly schools of choice, have a measurably positive impact on inner-city students, especially those from minority and low-income families. The…

"Small Schools and Savings" rebuts the presumption that capital costs of school planning and construction render small schools uncompetitively expensive. Specific options are outlined that can help small schools be cost effective. The false logic of borrowing economies-of-scale arguments from the factory model and applying them to…

Information is presented about students in South Carolina public schools by grade. Information on sex and racial/ethnic composition is provided for each school, and each is characterized as rural, urban, or mixed. Student average daily membership counts are rounded at the school level. Of the 1,109 South Carolina schools, 482 are considered rural,…

This report examines several important trends and issues in urban education and minority education. It reviews major principles for rethinking urban schooling so that students from diverse racial, ethnic, linguistic, and gender groups will be able to receive a more equal education, and it considers specific issues in their education. The focus is…

Information on 44 small/rural K-12 Nebraska school districts (900 students or fewer) is compared to data from 642 similar districts nationwide, using material gathered during 1982-83. Of the nation's 15,601 public school districts, 4,125 (26.4%) were identified as qualifying for the survey; 76.4% (249 districts, enrolling 76,516 students) of…

The study compared nationwide research findings about the districts, superintendents, teachers, programs, and student performance in 642 public school districts with an enrollment of 900 or less to data from a random sample of school districts of similar size in Oklahoma. Data were gathered from superintendents by questionnaire during the 1982-83…

The study compared nationwide research findings about the districts, supervisors, teachers, programs, and student performance in 642 public school districts with an enrollment of 900 or less to data from a random sample of school districts of similar size in Oregon. Data were gathered from superintendents by questionnaire during the 1982-83 school…

The study compared nationwide research findings about the districts, superintendents, teachers, programs, and student performance in 642 public school districts with an enrollment of 900 or less to data from a random sample of school districts of similar size in Texas. Data were gathered from superintendents by questionnaire during the 1982-83…

The study compared nationwide research findings about the districts, superintendents, teachers, programs, and student performance in 642 public school districts with an enrollment of 900 or less to data from a random sample of school districts of similar size in Washington. Data were gathered from superintendents by questionnaire during the…

This ERIC digest examines the slowed pace of school district reorganization since 1970 and the expanded role of state education agencies (SEAs). It also reports trends that influence consideration of various reorganization forms and considers the framework in which future policy options may take shape. The decades from 1940 to 1970 show the…

This summary provides an overview of three reports comprising a study of resource allocation policies through various organizational structures at both the education system and school levels. An introduction briefly reviews related research and outlines the overall structure of the study, citing some issues of special concern: the balance between…