This document contains the 11 issues of the newsletter "Rural Policy Matters" published in 2001. Issues examine recent educational research on small and rural schools; report on court litigation related to rural school finance, local advocacy efforts in support of rural schools, and the condition of rural school facilities; outline policy issues…

Schools within schools are large public schools that have been divided into smaller autonomous subunits to create a sense of community and cohesiveness among students and staff. This digest discusses the benefits, drawbacks, varieties, and sources of funding for schools within schools. Designers of these schools seek the advantages of both large…

This report analyzes current public education policies, procedures, and practices that compound racial inequities by profiling students of color. Such practices divert resources away from proven solutions that advance academic excellence. Bias in high-stakes testing serves to increase student achievement gaps. Zero-tolerance and maximum-security…

This is the culminating report of a three-year study of seven small schools in Washington State. It examines adult learning in the context of school redesign and highlights three schools where teachers are beginning to capitalize on adult learning opportunities to turn the corner to instructional change. In our view, effective adult learning…

This position paper focuses on issues related to equal education in small, rural schools in Sweden. Specifically, the report analyzes national statistics, reports from the National Agency for Education, and other research regarding the status of education in Sweden. Data indicate that for the 1994-95 school year, two-thirds of the schools in…

Since 1970, essentially all research favors the creation of small high schools. Four forces that have contributed to the growing obsolescence of large, comprehensive high schools are the onset of the information age, the emergence of an adolescent culture, the students' rights movement, and changing attitudes about the proper functioning of…

A case study of Oneida High School (Oneida, Tennessee) in December 1997 examined influences and unique circumstances that sustained the school in the face of possible closure and enabled it to "flourish." The study included structured interviews with over 70 individuals in the school and community, focus groups, and informal…

This brief discusses the benefits of small schools and whether schools can be too small. For years, it was thought that larger schools could offer more comprehensive instructional programs of greater quality at lower costs than smaller schools. However, recent research indicates that larger may not be better, and that smaller schools may in fact…

For too long New York City's high schools have not prepared even a majority of students for graduation. There is no single solution to the problems confronting the city's schools, but the city needs to do better--and it can. Over the past several years, New York City has undertaken a far-reaching process of education reform. This report describes…

The key to the improvement of any courses in the school curriculum is obviously the teacher. In this connection, as regards the high school mathematics curriculum, certain questions arise: Do the teachers need inservice education for the new improved courses? What inservice education programs are now in progress? How are school administrators…

Overviews factors that influenced school consolidation and the development of centralized elementary schools in rural Hong Kong since the mid-1980s, including changes in urban development, population redistribution, and government policy on rural education. Also describes the context of rural school consolidation in the Wimmera, Victoria,…

Addresses factors affecting rural education in Tasmania (Australia), including population trends, financial support, student enrollment, socioeconomic status of rural residents, and geographic isolation. Issues that need to be addressed include the status of small schools in Tasmania, costs associated with transporting students, staffing, low…

Presents 10 guidelines for seeking legislative support and funding for new educational technology in small rural schools. Summarizes suggestions obtained in legislator interviews concerning effective proposals and presentations to legislators. (SV)

Presents a case study of the impact of rapid educational policy change toward self-management on two small rural schools and their communities in Victoria (Australia). Suggests that self-management requires strong community support, and the quality of this support is directly related to a sense of autonomy and ownership. Community support is…

The School for the Physical City (SPC) is 1 of 50 new public schools established in New York City since 1993. Like many, SPC offers small classes, greater teacher-student interaction, and a rigorous curriculum, but depends on some private financial support. However, it remains questionable whether the City cares enough about reform to finance…