Facilities and staff, financing, administration, and social/behavioral problems are four areas of the educational systems of rural schools impacted by the rapid population growth resulting from the urban-to-rural migration begun in the 1970's and expected to last several decades. Overcrowding of facilities is a short-range problem for communities with economic and public support, but a long-range problem for those unable to initiate a satifactory solution. Greater local revenues result from greater population, yet there may be rural resistance to the ideas of urban newcomers. Short-range administrative problems and paperwork overloads occur with increased school population. Social/behavioral problems, such as discipline and alcohol misuse, also increase. Educational systems will experience both positive and negative effects of the growth process, but substantial economic and social costs can be avoided with early long-range planning. The extent to which rural community leaders should and can anticipate and respond to population growth and its resultant changes is critical. Scenarios of two different rural communities--a "boomtown" and a town exemplifying "social amenities growth"--demonstrate that the impacts of rapid growth on rural education are significantly influenced by economic and social factors in the larger community arena. (SB)