This packet contains resources on five topics relevant to rural school administrators. "Assessing Parent Involvement: A Checklist for Rural Schools": discusses educator beliefs that support successful parent engagement programs, challenges and advantages of rural schools attempting to involve parents and community, and aspects of…

This practicum was designed to provide an after-school activity program to middle school students not engaged in interscholastic sports. Utilizing community volunteers, an enrichment-prevention program that featured 19 different activities in 2 class sessions per week over a 10-week period was developed and implemented. Activities included…

The Centralia 21st Century Visioning Project was undertaken by the city of Centralia, in Washington, and Centralia College to determine a vision for the city for the next century based on citizen and business input. In summer 1994, the college conducted a survey of 185 businesses from the city's downtown core to gather retailers' perceptions on…

The Secondary Education Transition Model project at Colorado State University-Fort Collins represents a local and state commitment to serve students with severe handicaps who are moving into community work and living roles. These comprehensive transition services begin at the secondary education level and extend into the adult service system. The…

This document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report "What Works Where You Are? The Implementation of Training Packages in Rural Australia" [ED495190] and is an added resource for further information. The original report investigates the implementation of training packages in five rural communities, and the…

This study investigated factors impinging upon the successful implementation of reform in New Jersey's special needs or Abbott districts. Surveys of 28 Abbott districts examined the extent to which districts embraced remedial measures in the Supreme Court's rulings; perceived compatibility between remedial measures embodied in the reform and prior…

Community development-oriented service learning (CDOSL) is an approach to service learning that integrates service with the school curriculum and the local community development agenda. This study examined the positive impacts that CDOSL has on rural students and communities. Surveys and case study research were conducted with 145 students,…

Despite strong agreement on the importance of parent involvement, most schools, districts, and states still need help in developing comprehensive programs of school, family, and community partnerships. This revised handbook translates lessons learned over 20 years of research and fieldwork into practical solutions for program development. The book…

Even the best schools must undertake a systematic and continuous appraisal of their current condition and future directions if they are to remain valuable and viable contributors to their community's quality of life. It is clear that schools cannot undertake that appraisal unless it is done in full partnership with the communities in which they…

Prepared as part of a comprehensive study of reading in Virginia, this report contains data gathered in a survey of elementary and secondary reading teachers and specialists and adult basic education teachers to determine teacher needs in that state. The report provides an analysis of the responses to the 72-item questionnaire used in the survey…

The purpose of the California State Library-sponsored project, InFoPeople, is to enhance access to information resources by providing points of public access to the Internet in public libraries throughout the state of California. This Stage 1 report represents an initial set of findings and issues related to the InFoPeople project and provides the…

This paper examines the frequency and purpose of interactions between rural students and teachers at the Brisbane School of Distance Education. Research regarding distance education indicated that: (1) both the school community and rural community significantly influence teacher-student interactions; (2) the student population represents diverse…

A formative evaluation was conducted of two elementary schools that have been engaged in the School/Community-Based Management (SCBM) process in Hawaii. The evaluation process was aligned with the SCBM philosophy, which promotes shared decision making, shared responsibility, and collaboration. Stakeholders contributed to the evaluation, which…

"America Goes Back to School" is a nationwide initiative of parents, educators, and community leaders who have become actively involved in improving education in their communities. This "partners' activity kit" is intended to raise public awareness about what students in the schools need, and describes ways that everyone in the…

An action research project implemented a program for the development of citizenship, cultural awareness, and positive character attributes. Targeted population consisted of middle and high school students in several growing, middle class communities located in northern Illinois. Problems of lack of awareness and sensitivity are documented through…