A GRANT FROM THE FORD FOUNDATION WAS USED IN ESTABLISHING THE UPPER MIDWEST SMALL SCHOOLS PROJECT (UMSSP). THIS PROJECT INCLUDED FIFTEEN MEMBER SCHOOLS IN NORTH DAKOTA AND MONTANA. THE ORIGINAL OBJECTIVES WERE--(1) TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL LEADERS IN RURAL EDUCATION, (2) TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND ADDED MATERIALS TO DEVELOP THIS LEADERSHIP ROLE OF…

Reports on current research on the educational, social, and financial implications of declining enrollment in Ontario are summarized in part 1 of this paper and accompanied by the author's comments and conclusions. The abstracts cover such topics as school closure, the adequacy of small secondary schools, minimum acceptable size of elementary…

Rural schools may have an advantage over urban schools in science teaching if sciences are perceived as means of exploring our surroundings, are presented as many viewpoints of one overall picture, and are taught in a form that deals with human situations. Collaboratively taught, rural science curricula can include study of agricultural ecology,…

Data prepared for a study of declining enrollment in 12 school districts in the Grant Wood Area are presented in tabular form under the headings of enrollment, curriculum, personnel, and transportation. Enrollment tables show current enrollment by grade, total enrollments for each school year beginning with 1972-73 and projected through 1983-84,…

In an attempt to reveal the many external influences (e.g., economic, social, and spiritual) affecting a rural community and to bring about understanding of the evolving complex society of the rural-urban community brought about by advanced technology, the American Country Life Association's annual conference dealt with some of the parameters…

The Intermediate Administrative Unit of Polk County, Iowa is outlined in this document. Items discussed include board of education philosophy and policy, personnel, educational services, administrative organization, county board of education and superintendent relationships, county board and local board relationships, budgeting, and fiscal…

An independent evaluation report (May 1971) by Educational Coordinates Northwest, this document examines the Oregon Small Schools Program (a Title III project of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act). Three major areas were considered: the extent to which member schools implemented methodological and organizational changes, the established…

The State of Minnesota funds its public schools primarily through a funding formula that provides school districts the same amount of revenue per pupil regardless of the size of their enrollment. An earlier study demonstrated that larger school districts incur less cost per pupil due to increased efficiency derived from economies of scale. This…

A study documented factors associated with the operation of vocational education and training (VET) in small rural schools and their communities. Case studies of 14 schools with high-quality VET practices identified important facilitators of course development: formal commitment to the VET programs within the school's objectives; role of…

Over half of Finnish elementary schools are small schools employing 1-3 teachers. This paper examines the implementation of new national curriculum policies in two small elementary schools. The new policies, adopted in 1994, stress autonomous control of learning and encourage each individual school, in collaboration with the community, to draw up…

Discusses ten principles, evolving from the authors' experiences at South Boston High School, that form the core of a new view of schooling and its relation to the society it serves. (Author/WD)

Examines two case studies of multigrade teachers, and focuses on their diverse teaching styles. Questions what are the critical issues in multigrade teaching, and whether it is possible to identify "best practice" in the multigrade classroom. Suggests necessary skills that should be developed in preservice education as preparation for…

This chapter provides an overview of statistical issues arising in work on educational assessment and school accountability, organized around some of the most consequential misunderstandings. The article proceeds via a series of nine vignettes describing misunderstandings of statistical uncertainty in educational assessment and school…

Developed as a text for studying rural education in Canada, this book focuses on the importance of listening to the voices of all stakeholders in education, formulating a shared vision for schooling, and providing leadership that will revitalize schools in sparsely populated areas. Section 1 presents strategic planning as the most promising…

This paper addresses the role of distance education as a means for increasing curricular offerings of small and rural secondary schools. Treating distance education as a "technology" risks repeating the same cycle of false hopes and expectations that has historically accompanied the introduction of technology into education. Instead,…