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Full-Text Articles in Education
Do Smaller Schools Really Reduce The “Power Rating” Of Poverty?, Theodore Coladarci
Do Smaller Schools Really Reduce The “Power Rating” Of Poverty?, Theodore Coladarci
The Rural Educator
The percentage of variance in student achievement that is explained by student SES—“poverty’s power rating,” as some call it—tends to be less among smaller schools than among larger schools. Smaller schools, we are told, are able to somehow disrupt the association between SES and student achievement. Using eighth-grade data for 215 public schools in Maine, I explored the hypothesis that this finding is in part a statistical artifact of the lower reliability of school-aggregated student achievement in smaller schools. This hypothesis was supported for mathematics achievement but seemingly not for reading achievement. Implications are discussed.
Dual Enrollment: Measuring Factors For Rural High School Student Participation, Todd E. Johnson, Michael Brophy
Dual Enrollment: Measuring Factors For Rural High School Student Participation, Todd E. Johnson, Michael Brophy
The Rural Educator
The purpose of this study was to explore the reasons 162 rural area high school students participate in the dual enrollment program. Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to enroll in college courses for credit prior to high school graduation with local school districts covering the cost of tuition. Participants in this study were recruited from two rural agricultural counties from Washington State attending a local college. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that dual enrollment participation was related to academics, financial, social, and choice reasons. Results showed no significant differences between 11th and 12th grade participants regarding financial and choice …
Nclb Technology And A Rural School: A Case Study, Theresa A. Cullen, Thomas A. Brush, Timothy J. Frey, Rebecca S. Hinshaw, Scott J. Warren
Nclb Technology And A Rural School: A Case Study, Theresa A. Cullen, Thomas A. Brush, Timothy J. Frey, Rebecca S. Hinshaw, Scott J. Warren
The Rural Educator
The requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) have presented special challenges and opportunities for rural schools (Reeves, 2003). Researchers have suggested that one way rural schools may be able to overcome these challenges is through an increase in the level of technology integration in their school (Collins & Dewees, 2001). This case study reports on one school’s attempt to use grant resources funded through NCLB to integrate specific instructional technologies to facilitate increased student achievement. Through interviews and observations, the roles, attitudes, and difficulties of teachers and administrators in implementing a technology initiative in a …
Challenges And Changes Faced By Rural Superintendents, Marcia L. Lamkin
Challenges And Changes Faced By Rural Superintendents, Marcia L. Lamkin
The Rural Educator
This research study was designed to build grounded theory about the challenges faced by rural superintendents. Participating rural superintendents identified five areas that presented a challenge but that also applied to superintendents in other settings: school law, finance, personnel, government mandates, and district or board policies. Further, these superintendents identified challenges related specifically to the rural setting and to their lack of acculturation to the demands of rural school leadership. Focus group research conducted among rural superintendents in New York, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee indicated that the challenges of the rural superintendency were distinct enough to warrant some specialized preparation for …
Adequate Yearly Progress In Small Rural Schools And Rural Low-Income Schools, Thomas W. Farmer, Man-Chi Leung, Jonathan Banks, Victoria Schaefer, Bruce Andrews, Robert Allen Murray
Adequate Yearly Progress In Small Rural Schools And Rural Low-Income Schools, Thomas W. Farmer, Man-Chi Leung, Jonathan Banks, Victoria Schaefer, Bruce Andrews, Robert Allen Murray
The Rural Educator
Adequate yearly progress (AYP) on No Child Left Behind criteria was examined for a randomly selected sample of districts that qualify for the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP). The sample involved 10% of districts that were eligible for the Small Rural Schools Achievement (SRSA) program and 10% that were eligible for the Rural and Low-income Schools (RLIS) program. Based on district reports, nearly 80% of SRSA schools made AYP, 11% failed, and 11% did not have adequate data. For schools in the RLIS program, districts reported that 65% made AYP, 29% failed, and 6% did not report adequate data. The …
An Inquiry Into Retention And Achievement Differences In Campus Based And Web Based Ap Courses, Michael Barbour, Dennis Mulcahy
An Inquiry Into Retention And Achievement Differences In Campus Based And Web Based Ap Courses, Michael Barbour, Dennis Mulcahy
The Rural Educator
A decade ago the Advanced Placement (AP) program was introduced into the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Initially, schools embraced this opportunity to provide their students with opportunities that were previously unavailable. However, within a few years the AP program was relegated to urban and large regional high schools. Few smaller, and particularly rural schools, were able to offer AP courses only to the brightest one or two students taking it as an independent study. In 1997-98, schools began to delivery AP courses in a web-based method. The purpose of the study is to examine the retention rates and …
Speaking Their Truths: Teachers Of Color In Diasporic Contexts, Carmelita Castaneda, John Kambutu, Francisco Rios
Speaking Their Truths: Teachers Of Color In Diasporic Contexts, Carmelita Castaneda, John Kambutu, Francisco Rios
The Rural Educator
No abstract provided.
Creating Effective Schools Where All Students Can Learn, Christina Reagle
Creating Effective Schools Where All Students Can Learn, Christina Reagle
The Rural Educator
Helping schools create environments where all students can learn is a worthwhile mission for schools big and small. Both multi and single site districts agree that providing equitable and meaningful learning opportunities for every student is essential, but find this challenging and difficult. What are the systemic factors that limit educators in considering new educational paradigms that might structure schools differently, increase learning outcomes for a wider spectrum of students, and prepare students to meet the challenges of the 21st century? All communities need graduates ready to face the world after high school, prepared to work, and ready to offer …
A Technology Supported Induction Network For Rural Student Teachers, Sara Winstead Fry
A Technology Supported Induction Network For Rural Student Teachers, Sara Winstead Fry
The Rural Educator
Student teaching is a challenging period for preservice teachers as they make the transition from preparation to practice. Support from mentor teachers and university personnel can make this time easier, helping preservice teachers successfully integrate educational theory into their practice. Because of logistical, financial, and personnel limitations, many student teachers with rural placements receive inadequate support. The Technology Supported Induction Network (TSIN) was developed to address these issues by providing support and ongoing professional learning opportunities for preservice teachers through distance technology. A qualitative case study was used to investigate the TSIN’s impact on elementary level student teachers. Results indicate …
Rural Education: Attracting And Retaining Teachers In Small Schools, Jerry M. Lowe
Rural Education: Attracting And Retaining Teachers In Small Schools, Jerry M. Lowe
The Rural Educator
For many small rural school districts across America, the effort to attract and retain quality teachers continues to be a major concern. Schools located in what are considered to be “hard to staff” areas experience the most difficult. While not all communities face the problems of inadequate teacher supply, many small and rural school districts recognize this as a continuing critical issue. A variety of factors contribute to the problems of recruiting and retaining teachers in small and rural school. This article will address the most common causes of high turnover rate among teachers in the rural schools and offer …
Nrea Report: Rural School Consolidation: History, Research Summary, Conclusions, And Recommendations, Joe Bard, Clark Gardener, Regi Wieland
Nrea Report: Rural School Consolidation: History, Research Summary, Conclusions, And Recommendations, Joe Bard, Clark Gardener, Regi Wieland
The Rural Educator
The consolidation of rural schools in the United States has been a controversial topic for policy-makers, school administrators, and rural communities since the 1800s. At issue in the consolidation movement have been concerns of efficiency, economics, student achievement, school size, and community identity. Throughout the history of schooling in America, school consolidation has been a way to solve rural issues in the eyes of policy makers and many education officials. Today, faced with declining enrollments and financial cutbacks, many rural schools and communities continue to deal with challenges associated with possible school reorganizations and consolidations. This paper, developed by the …
Edward W. Chance Dissertation Award: The Transition Practices Of One County’S Rural Elementary School Districts And Their Receiving Independent School District, Stephen E. Smith
Edward W. Chance Dissertation Award: The Transition Practices Of One County’S Rural Elementary School Districts And Their Receiving Independent School District, Stephen E. Smith
The Rural Educator
The purpose of this study was to describe the transition implementation experienced by rural elementary school district students entering the ninth grade at an independent school district, and to describe the ties to the school that exist among these same ninth grade students. This qualitative research involved interviewing 11 ninth grade students, six rural elementary school district counselors and/or administrators, and one independent school district counselor. Conclusions of the study revealed that the independent school district in the study does not have a structured transition implementation program to assist rural elementary school district students. Despite literature that supports the success …