This report presents the evaluations of 20 rural school/community collaborative projects supported by the Center for School Change between 1997 and 2000. The report is divided into four sections: an overview, a description of the shape of school/community collaborations, a discussion of the outcomes of school/community collaboration, and a…

This paper reviews five prominent approaches to U.S. high school reform: small schools, applied learning, professional development/curriculum and instruction, youth development, and comprehensive/whole school reform. For each strategy, it offers: a description and "theory of action" of the reform approach; some examples of the reform in…

Devising appropriate service delivery for gifted individuals is never an easy task and is especially challenging in rural areas. Characteristics of rural schools may be both barriers and benefits to gifted education. Limited numbers may mean that programming options for gifted students are unfeasible, but small schools and classes make…

Previous studies found that the small size of schools or school districts mitigated the negative influence of poverty on academic achievement in California, Alaska, and West Virginia. The Matthew Project extends this research in four additional states selected to provide varied settings: Ohio, Georgia, Texas, and Montana. Data from each state were…

A charter school is a public school that is operated under a detailed contract with a public agency and that may be exempt from many state and local regulations. This policy brief provides a brief overview of charter school characteristics and legislation, and discusses the concerns of policymakers in four states: Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia,…

All dropouts from Hiawatha High School (Kirkland, Illinois) in the last 3 years were surveyed to determine why they dropped out and what the school could do to deter students from dropping out. Nationally, dropping out is related to poverty, lack of parental support, drug abuse, learning disabilities, and a history of poor school performance.…

In spring 2003, the Consortium on Chicago School Research, in partnership with Mills College, undertook a short-term, interview-based study of five small schools created under the guidance of the Chicago High School Redesign Imitative (CHSRI) in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). This research resulted in a descriptive data brief, "Chicago High School…

If small school districts consolidate their resources, they can afford to use electronic data processing systems. (CK)

Describing the past two decades as a turbulent era for American education and suggesting that the coming decade will also demand great change, this article discusses problems facing small school districts, resources available to them, and some of the measures they might take to meet the challenges of change. (DS)

Outlines some of the challenging problems facing small schools. (JM)

Secondary Education Learning Facilitator (SELF) is an alternative educational program designed for students who want self-responsibility and want to be actively involved in their own education. A facility is being built under a joint-use and occupancy agreement with a private developer. (Author/MLF)

Professional educators may be behind the times in their thinking about school size. Many educational leaders mistakenly believe that large schools provide better learning environments at less cost than smaller schools. Actually, there are few conclusive before-and-after consolidation studies, consolidation does not seem to save money, and small…

A national study of rural superintendents identified several fiscal practices to maximize resources, including seeking bids and comparison pricing for purchases, paying bills promptly where discounts are available, employing aggressive energy conservation measures, joining a regional service agency to provide services and programs, and increasing…

Discusses four initiatives proposed by the Alliance for Excellent Education (www.all4ed.org) to improve student success in high school. Involves adolescent literacy, teacher and principal quality, college preparation, and smaller learning communities. Argues for more federal investment in secondary schools. (PKP)