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Segregation, Inequality, Demographic Change, And School Consolidation, William England, Edmund T. Hamann

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

We describe a rural/micropolitan example of the intertwining of school consolidation and demographic change with exacerbated segregation and inequality. To do this we consider Dawson County, Nebraska, which hosts the state's most Latino/a school district (Lexington) and which saw its number of schools decline from 37 to 19 during this century's first decade, and the number of local school districts lessened from 18 to 5. In particular, we call attention to the irony that consolidation was pursued with an explicit call for more equality in schooling in Dawson County (Swidler 2013) and yet population concentrations and variation in expenditures seemed …

Considering Native American Students In Rural School Consolidation, Andrea Miller

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

When discussing school consolidation it is important to consider the educational effects on Native American students. Many Native American students live in homes of poverty, deal with difficult home lives, and struggle academically. While there are many areas of concern in discussing consolidation, loss of a low student-teacher ratio, loss of connection with the school community, and loss of autonomy or control of schools are of particular importance. Consolidation efforts may bring some positive education opportunity for Native students which may include offering a diversified and expanded curriculum, specialization for staffing, and specialized resources for students. Discussing the potential effects …

Rural Communities And School Consolidation--Introduction To Special Issue, Richard Edwards, Peter Longo

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

This special issue of Great Plains Research focuses on rural communities and school consolidation. It publishes some of the contributions, both essays and research articles, first presented at the Center for Great Plains Studies' 39th Annual Symposium at the University of Nebraska at Kearney on April 5-6, 2013. It also includes some images from a special Chuck Guildner photographic exhibition staged at the Museum of Nebraska Art. The symposium broadly addressed the connection between rural schools and rural communities, including a particular focus on the gains and losses from school consolidation. Good schools are essential to the good life. Americans …

Demographic Foundation Of Rural Education In The Great Plains The Impact Of Urbanization, Robert Blair, Jerome Deichert, David Drozd

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Demographic factors have been transforming the Great Plains for decades. Although the region increased in population from 1950 to 2007, closer analysis reveals that much of that growth took place in the Core Based Statistical Areas. These population trends reflect the broader impact of urbanization. This article provides a contextual perspective of critical demographic factors influencing the structure of educational systems in rural communities in the Great Plains region, helping administrators and decision makers understand the impact of demographic forces on the delivery of rural education.

Place-Based Civic Education And The Rural Leadership Crisis In Nebraska, Christie L. Maloyed, J. Kelton Williams

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

The Great Plains is facing a pending leadership crisis as rural depopulation decreases the number of residents who are available to serve in civic and government positions. This problem is compounded by the loss of youth populations in rural areas. In this essay, we offer a cross-disciplinary analysis of avenues for addressing the rural leadership crisis. We bring together work from rural demography, education policy, and civic studies to argue that civic education in rural areas needs to be reformed specifically to train and retain rural youth for leadership positions. We use Nebraska as a case study as it has …

Tiebout In The Country The Inevitable Politics Of Rural School Consolidation, Steven L. Willborn

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

This essay explains why school consolidation issues are especially difficult in rural America. Consolidation is most appropriate when adjacent districts have similar preferences for taxation and spending on schools. In that case, economies of scale can be reaped without interfering much with resident preferences on taxes and school quality. In urban areas residents signal these preferences by moving into (or out of) school districts that match their preferences, a process known as Tiebout sorting. As a result, school consolidation decisions can be based on good information about resident preferences. The basic claim of this essay is that Tiebout sorting works …

Economic Issues In School District Consolidation In Nebraska, Bree L. Dority, Eric C. Thompson

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

This research article examines how per-pupil spending on public primary and secondary education in Nebraska varies by school district size, and whether expenditures are expected to rise or fall after districts consolidate. We find a U-shaped relationship between per-pupil spending and the number of students per school district in Nebraska. We also find a similar relationship between property tax base and the number of students per school district. However, our analysis of perpupil spending before and after consolidation fails to find consistent evidence that consolidation lowered per-pupil spending, in either rural or non-rural districts. The gains from consolidation become even …

Strategies For Strengthening The Great Plains Oral Health Workforce, John Reinhardt, Kimberly Mcfarland

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

The looming shortage of dentists in rural communities throughout the Great Plains is a well-documented concern. Access to care can be a problem, and the lack of dental care is generally most acute among those with low income, those with complex health issues, and minorities. Studies are finding that there are significant associations between poor oral health and the occurrence of systemic diseases or problems. Examples include cardiovascular disease, stroke, and preterm delivery of low-birth weight infants. The two primary diseases of the oral cavity-dental caries and periodontal disease-are not only treatable but also preventable with adequate care.

The University …

Ensuring Mathematical Learning In Rural Schools Investing In Teacher Knowledge, Wendy M. Smith, W. James Lewis, Ruth M. Heaton

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

In this research article we share our vision of how to improve student mathematics success in rural districts. Good teaching matters. We have found two recurring features that can support teachers' success in effectively teaching students mathematics: high-quality, longitudinal professional development and professional connections. We partner with rural districts and master teachers to offer local high-quality professional development for mathematics teachers to strengthen their mathematical knowledge for teaching. We have substantial evidence that participation in longitudinal, high-quality professional development significantly increases teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching, as well as improves their confidence in teaching. Bringing teachers together for professional development …

School Consolidation And Community Development, Gary Paul Green

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

The linkages between schools and community are seldom discussed in the research on school consolidation. Most of the focus of this body of literature is on the effects of school consolidation on efficiency and equity. In this essay I discuss the importance of school-community relationships and the critical role schools can play in community development. School consolidation can have several negative impacts on the local economy, social capital, and community identity. Assessments of the benefits and costs of consolidation need to consider more carefully the impacts on communities and the potential of building a stronger relationship between schools and communities.

Great Plains Research, Volume 23, Number 2, Fall 2013 (Complete Issue)

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

CONTENTS

Introduction — Richard Edwards and Peter Longo

School Consolidation and Community Development — Gary Paul Green

The Importance of Being Emily: Lessons from Legislative Battles over

Forced School Consolidation — Marty Strange

Tiebout in the Country: The Inevitable Politics of Rural School Consolidation — Steven L. Willborn

Place-Based Civic Education and the Rural Leadership Crisis in Nebraska — Christie L. Maloyed and J. Kelton Williams

Considering Native American Students in Rural School Consolidation — Andrea Miller

Photo Essay: Atmosphere for Learning Undistracted: Rural Schools of Nebraska — Charles W. Guildner

Economic Issues in School District Consolidation in Nebraska — …

Great Plains Research, 23-2 Fall 2013, Editorial Matter, Richard Edwards, Peter Longo

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Masthead

Contents

Volume Introduction, by Richard Edwards & Peter Longo

Instructions to authors

Great Plains Research, 23-1, Editorial Matter

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Cover

Masthead

News & Notes

Instructions to authors

Table of Contents

Late Holocene Activation History Of The Stanton Dunes, Northeastern Nebraska, Rebecca A. Puta, Paul R. Hanson, Aaron R. Young

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

The Nebraska Sandhills have been an important resource for better understanding dune activation and the nature of prehistoric Great Plains drought events. However, until recently, few studies have focused on documenting the activation histories of smaller dune fields found along the Great Plains' eastern margin. This study focuses on the Stanton dune field, which lies about 145 km east of the Nebraska Sandhills on an alluvial terrace of the Elkhorn River in northeastern Nebraska. Sediments in the Stanton Dunes were dated with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) to determine when these dunes were active. The ages indicate three activation periods that …

Review Of The Negative Influences Of Non-Native Salmonids On Native Fish Species, Kelly C. Turek, Mark A. Pegg, Kevin L. Pope

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Non-native salmonids are often introduced into areas containing species of concern, yet a comprehensive overview of the short- and long-term consequences of these introductions is lacking in the Great Plains. Several authors have suggested that non-native salmonids negatively influence species of concern. The objective of this paper is to review known interactions between non-native salmonids and native fishes, with a focus on native species of concern. After an extensive search of the literature, it appears that in many cases non-native salmonids do negatively influence species of concern (e.g., reduce abundance and alter behavior) via different mechanisms (e.g., predation and competition). …

Taking The Measure Of A Mark: Exploratory Size And Shape Analysis Of Cut Marks, Eileen Johnson, Patrick J. Lewis, Leland C. Bement

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

A database of 128 measured incised butchery marks (i.e., the classic cut mark) was the basis for exploratory statistical tests of length and width measurements from late Pleistocene mammoth localities and an early Holocene bison locality. The tests reveal several trends. The initial approach uses univariate descriptive statistics, regression, and ANOVA to examine differences in size and shape of marks. Significant differences are noted in length and width of marks based on location, element, and type. Length and width variables demonstrate low variability within incised marks. Results demonstrate a consistency in incised marks across the two taxa. Other consistencies are …

Accuracy Of Antler Metrics In Predicting Age Of White-Tailed Deer And Mule Deer, Casey W. Schoenebeck, Brian C. Peterson, Jason A. Obermiller

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Electronic deer check systems offer state natural resource agencies alternatives to mandatory in-person check stations, resulting in potential savings in money and personnel. However, a reliable means for hunters to classify the age of harvested antlered deer must be established so that important management indices such as antlered yearling harvest can continue to be used to set future management goals. Therefore, we evaluated the use of six different antler metrics to predict age class of white-tailed and mule deer (1.5 and >/= 2.5 years). We used discriminant analysis to determine the number of deer correctly classified into each age class …

Roles Of Perceived Control And Planning In Ranch Drought Preparedness, Tonya Haigh, Cody Knutson

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Ranchers in the Great Plains and across the United States face the threat of periodic drought. Though ranchers might minimize losses through drought-preparedness activities, many do not adequately prepare for drought, in part because of perceptions that the outcomes of drought management are not controllable. We explore how drought planning activities affect ranchers' perceptions of control and drought preparedness using the theories of planned behavior and goal attainment as guiding frameworks. Ten Great Plains ranchers who had engaged in drought management activities were interviewed about their plans. From the interviews, three activities emerged that appeared to increase ranchers' perceived control …

Relative Abundance Of Northern Flying Squirrels And Red Squirrels In Different Forest Types, Black Hills, South Dakota, Melissa Hough, Charles D. Dieter

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) and red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) in the Black Hills National Forest (BHNF) of South Dakota represent isolated populations. Because data on both species in the region are limited, and because the northern flying squirrel in South Dakota and the Black Hills National Forest has species of concern status, we trapped throughout BHNF to determine relative abundance in different forest types for both populations. For northern flying squirrels, capture rate was higher in the northern and western hills compared to the southern and eastern hills, whereas for red squirrels, capture rate was …

Aquatic Invertebrate Community Structure In The Niobrara River, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska, 1996-2009, David E. Bowles, David G. Peitz, J. Tyler Cribbs

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Aquatic invertebrates were sampled annually in the Niobrara River, Nebraska, during the period 1996-2009 using Hester-Dendy multiplate samplers. Collections indicated the invertebrate community in the river has shifted from one dominated by Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa to one dominated by Chironomidae and Amphipoda. Generally, EPT richness and percentage abundance of EPT of the total community, as well as percentage abundance of Heptageniidae and Leptophlebiidae, has declined across the years. During that same period, percentage abundance of Amphipoda and Chironomidae, taxa evenness, Shannon's Index, and the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index have increased. Stream discharge decreased significantly during the 15-year period …

Great Plains Research, Volume 23, Number 1. Spring 2013 (Complete Issue)

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

CONTENTS

Aquatic Invertebrate Community Structure in the Niobrara River, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska, 1996-2009 — David E. Bowles, David G. Peitz, and J. Tyler Cribbs

Late Holocene Activation History of the Stanton Dunes, Northeastern Nebraska —Rebecca A. Puta, Paul R. Hanson, and Aaron R. Young

Relative Abundance of Northern Flying Squirrels and Red Squirrels in Different Forest Types, Black Hills, South Dakota — Melissa Hough and Charles Dieter

Accuracy of Antler Metrics in Predicting Age of White-Tailed Deer and Mule Deer — Casey W. Schoenebeck, Brian C. Peterson, and Jason A. Obermiller

Review of the Negative Influences of …

Review Essay: An Atlas To Be Read From Cover To Cover, Harm J. De Blij

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Preparing for this review I began by scanning the volume and stopping to read several especially interesting maps, finding myself riveted and, it seemed, on a journey of discovery. It has often been said about books, but perhaps never about an atlas, "I could not put it down once I had opened it." Nor has any atlas ever enhanced my knowledge of any region as greatly as this one has. There can be no doubt about it: no region, certainly in North America and perhaps in the world, is as well served as is the Great Plains region by this …

New Distributional Records Of Great Plains Pseudo Scorpions (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones), Paul O. Cooney, James A. Kalisch

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Pseudoscorpions are tiny, oval, brown, flattened arachnids that possess large "pinchers" in front of the body for capturing smaller prey. They generally live in forested habitats in soil litter or beneath loose bark. It has been presumed that pseudoscorpions are scarce in the Great Plains, except for along rivers, due to harsh climatic conditions. However, new records of pseudo scorpions from the Great Plains were derived from identification of specimens obtained from university and college collections, and from specimens collected by the first author. Records provided new revelations about distributions of not only the more commonly known pseudoscorpion species but …

The Right Call: Baseball Coaches' Attempts To Influence Umpires, Kevin Warneke, David C. Ogden

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

On-field conversations and confrontations between baseball coaches and umpires have long been a part of the game. An umpire's decision can alter the course of the game, but little has been written about the exchanges between a coach or manager and umpire, especially in relation to theoretical considerations. This study applies management and leadership theories in exploring the strategies baseball coaches use to contest an umpire's decision. By using leadership scholar John E. Barbuto's concept of influence tactics and the various types of social power discussed by sociologists John R. French and Bertram Raven, the study also tests the congruence …

Review Of Conspecific Attraction And Area Sensitivity Of Grassland Birds, David R.W. Bruinsma, Nicola Koper

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Many species of grassland birds are area sensitive, which may exacerbate the ecological effects of the extensive loss and fragmentation of grasslands that has taken place across the northern Great Plains. However, the reasons for this area sensitivity are unclear, as vegetation structure, matrix composition, and restriction of movements among patches do not seem to provide viable explanations for species native to grasslands. Con specific attraction, whereby species are behaviorally stimulated to select habitat or establish territories near individuals of the same species, may help explain this area sensitivity. We review and discuss theoretical and empirical research on avian conspecific …

Monitoring Standing Herbage Of The Sands And Choppy Sands Ecological Vegetation Types In The Nebraska Sandhills, Daniel W. Uresk

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

A modified Robel pole with white and gray alternating bands (2.54 cm) was used to measure vegetation on sands and choppy sands ecological types in the Sandhills of Nebraska. Objectives were to determine the relationship between visual obstruction readings (VOR) and clipped standing herbage, develop guidelines for monitoring standing herbage, and provide sample size estimates. Visual obstruction measurements of standing herbage were linear, and regression coefficients were significant (P< 0.001) for 125 transects (R² = 0.60, SE = 496 kg/ha). Clipped standing herbage ranged from 293 to 4389 kg/ha with a mean of 1,559 kg/ha. A minimum of four transects (20 stations/transect with four …

Great Plains Research, Volume 22, Number 2, Fall 2012 (Complete Issue)

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Reconsidering National Park Interpretation of the Great Plains and TransMississippi West • Robert Pahre

Evaluating the Role of Latinidad and the Latino Threat in the State of Missouri • Joel Jennings and J.S. Onesimo Sandoval

The Right Call: Baseball Coaches' Attempts to Influence Umpires • Kevin Warneke and Dave Ogden

Documenting Change at Upper Hamburg Bend: Nebraska's First SideChannel Restoration • Brandon L. Eder and Gerald E. Mestl

Initial Changes in Species Cover Following Savanna Restoration Treatments in Western Iowa • David A. McKenzie, Thomas B. Bragg, and David M. Sutherland

Monitoring Standing Herbage of the Sands and Choppy Sands …

Evaluating The Role Of Latinidad And The Latino Threat In The State Of Missouri, Joel Jennings, J.S. Onésimo Sandoval

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Growing Latino populations in midwestern cities of the United States are leading to the creation of contested ethnic spaces and urban landscapes. In this article we examine the historical, demographic, and social contexts associated with a growing sense of Latinidad and the countervailing Latino threat narrative in Kansas City and St. Louis, the two largest metropolitan areas in Missouri. Latinidad, or a notion of belonging based on ethnic identity in Missouri, is being challenged by nativist discourses that frame the growing Latino population as a threat. We highlight the different historical trajectories and geographical characteristics that have created distinct demographic …

Reconsidering National Park Interpretation Of The Great Plains And Trans-Mississippi West, Robert Pahre

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

The National Park Service has generally interpreted its sites in the Great Plains in terms of a Eurocentric narrative of westward expansion. Though some sites are changing (e.g., Little Bighorn), others are not (e.g., Scotts Bluff). Even those sites that have changed still retain important elements of traditional narratives, which often date to the 1930s or to the Mission 66 period (1956-66). The newest sites, such as Washita Battlefield, tell newer stories that resonate well with today's visitors. These provide a model for revising older sites. Giving greater attention to causes and consequences, aiming for a richer mix of disciplinary …

Initial Changes In Species Cover Following Savanna Restoration Treatments In Western Iowa, David A. Mckenzie, Thomas B. Bragg, David M. Sutherland

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Study areas in the Iowa Loess Hills were used to evaluate short-term responses of understory species to three treatment methods designed to facilitate restoration of Quercus macrocarpa savanna. Treatments included burning alone, burning with thinning, and burning with clear-cutting. Plant abundance and diversity were compared before treatment and one year after treatment. Ninety-nine plant species were identified during the study, of which 40 were new following treatment, although most of these were forest associates. Increases in diversity of understory species were observed after treatment, particularly in plots with combined burning and thinning. The forb group was most consistent in response …