An annual report of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory to the U.S. Office of Education is presented. The laboratory's "Basic Program Plan" comprises this first of 3 report parts and stresses a continuing focus on the application of systems technology to the improvement of education through research, development, and…

The goal of Project SPREAD (State Programs Revitalizing Education and Diffusion) was to assist educators and decision makers in rural settings to develop the best possible educational experiences for preparing students to meet the demands of our changing society by linking small rural schools with their state agency's resources. Project SPREAD…

A committee of administrators and faculty of the Fort Benton school system, assisted by consultants from Montana State University, developed a social studies curriculum on the theme "the expanding social order." Objectives of the curriculum are to help the student to acquire a dependable body of knowledge in addition to developing cooperative…

At the time of this report, the Western States Small Schools Project (WSSSP) had completed one full year of operation (1962-63) in the schools of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. Major WSSSP objectives are identified as: developing ungraded programs (K-12); developing appropriate uses of programmed materials; providing teacher…

Describing major features of the New York Catskill Area Project in Small School Design (CAPSSD) begun in 1957, this pamphlet addresses: (1) Basic Concepts in Small School Design (flexible scheduling, multiple classes, organizational interdependency, teacher versatility, student planning, technological communications, and interagency cooperation);…

Notes how limited funds and technical personnel affect small school districts and points out benefits that computer technology can bring to their administrative practices. Presents seven guidelines for selecting a computer to meet a small district's needs. Covers software selection, maintenance, staff training, and choosing a vendor. (JHZ)

Based on findings of a questionnaire sent to small and large high schools (enrollments of under 500 and over 1,000) and on visits to small high schools in rural areas, this article offers five specific suggestions for improving the use of correspondence study for high school students. (JHZ)

Lists titles and citations for 94 journal articles, 33 books, 112 research reports and briefs, and 41 masters and doctoral theses on native education in Alberta. Most documents were published from 1960-80. (LFL)

Surveys effect of enrollment size on 117 teachers and 892 middle and junior high school students in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. Finds middle school teachers prefer small schools, junior high teachers prefer larger schools, and middle school students' self concept may increase with enrollment size. Analyzes school organizational structures. (LFL)

"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) New Report Offers Recommendations for Defining and Improving Graduation Rates: Calls for New Federal Funding Stream…

"Planting the Seeds: Growth in Rural Education [Two]... A Series of Choices" outlines nine effective practices in programming for small and rural schools. The nine projects are described and additional resources, contacts, and references are provided for each. The nine projects include an outreach school partnership, the use of a mobile…

The No Child Left Behind Act requires standards-based accountability for school districts and schools receiving Title I funds. A major component of this policy is to report whether districts and schools are making "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) based on their performance goals. This paper raises questions for rural schools using the…

This book argues that large American high schools have become obsolete and uses case studies of four new or restructured schools to show why smallness and distinctiveness are prerequisites for school reform. The large comprehensive high school developed as an economical means of providing a range of "tracks," from practical subjects for future…

This thesis examines the history of school consolidation in Randolph County, West Virginia, which includes some of the most rural, mountainous land in the state. West Virginians have built schools, reorganized schools, and made numerous changes to structures over the last 250 years. Some changes had community support; others encountered stormy…

Big school districts promised to hold down costs by centralizing functions under one roof and delivering a greater selection of academic offerings and activities, thus improving education. But they have not delivered. Up to a certain size, consolidation can save costs, but above that size, districts experience "diseconomies of scale,"…