Annotated List of Rural Education Web sites ("Webliography?")

American Association of School Administrators: www.aasa.org

     Rural/Small School System Leaders Conference, July 13-16, 2003 , Park City , Utah

     Declining Enrollment Resources; Rural Education Achievement Program (See file.)

Appalachian Educational Lab: www.ael.org

     Serves as the Regional Educational Laboratory for Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia and operates the Eisenhower Regional

Consortium for Mathematics and Science Ed for these same 4 states. In addition, it serves as the Region IV Comprehensive Center.

Center for Rural Policy & Development at Minnesota State University, Mankato:

www.mankato.msus.edu /dept /ruralmn

      Smaller school districts experience greater hardship with infrastructure, resources, staffing as a result of higher costs per pupil

Center for the Study of Rural America at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City:

www.kc.frb.org/ruralCenter/conference/02 program.htm

      Regional approach to rural development; (See book in file.)

Center for Study of Small/Rural Schools ( U. of Ok ): www.occe.ou.edu/cssrs.html

      The Center for the Study of Small/Rural Schools is a cooperative effort between the University's Colleges of Education and Continuing

Education. Endorsed by the National Rural Education Association as one of its five recognized rural education research centers, the center assists small and rural schools in building and maintaining necessary knowledge bases, founded on state-of-the-art research in the areas of school improvement and reform, restructuring, staff development, administration, and teaching. The center utilizes a multifaceted approach in assisting small and rural schools through workshops, training programs, surveys, needs assessments, and provision of technical assistance and various other services. Its clients include school boards, teachers, administrators, businesses, community groups, rural organizations, state and federal agencies, as well as international agencies and governments.

College of Education, Kansas State U: www.coe.ksu.edu/cress

25 th Annual Conference: Oct. 12-13, 2003, Manhattan, KS

Colorado Department of Education: www.cde.state.co

      Teacher supply & demand

Economic Research Service (ERS)

ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Ed. & Small Schools (CRESS): www.ael.org /eric/rural.htm

     "Achievement in middle grades is higher in schools with elementary configuration than in middle school configuration" ("Limited" evidence. See file.)

What is ERIC?                     

      The Educational Resources Information Center ( ERIC ) is a federally supported system of 16 clearinghouses and supporting organizations that makes various written materials about education accessible to all who are interested. The ERIC system produces a computer-searchable bibliographic database of the literature in education. Currently the database describes over 1 million articles, reports, curriculum guides, books, and other information resources. The ERIC system is funded by the U.S. Department of Education through its National Library of Education .

What is the ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools ( CRESS )?

      It is the component of the ERIC system that is responsible for information about the following areas of interest:

•  American Indian & Alaska Native education

•  Mexican American education

•  Migrant education

•  Outdoor and Experiential education

•  Rural education

•  Small schools

What does ERIC/CRESS do?

      Within its areas of interest, ERIC/CRESS

•  acquires and screens (for timeliness, usefulness, clarity, and richness of content) education-related materials such as journal articles , reports, curriculum materials, and conference papers.

•  writes detailed descriptions of the selected materials and feeds these descriptions into the computer-searchable bibliographic database.

•  answers requests for information.

•  maintains this Web site, making hundreds of resources available in downloadable form.

•  develops and disseminates free publications, low-cost publications, and a free newsletter.

•  conducts workshops.

Forum for Rural Maryland (independent office of Governor): www.ruralforum.state.md.us/summit

      6 committees: local leaders involved include Alan Gorsuch, Norman Conway, Donald Bradley

Harvard Education letter: www.edletter.org/curent/reform.shtml

     "Schools with enrollments of 350 or less tend to have more trusting environments…greater chance of…improvements in math & reading"

Heartland Center for Leadership Development (NE): www.heartlandcenter.info

      The Heartland Center for Leadership Development is an independent, nonprofit organization developing local leadership that responds to the challenges of the future. A major focus of the Heartland Center 's activities is practical resources and public policies for rural community survival. Based in Nebraska , the Heartland Center was organized in 1985 by a group of Great Plains leaders as an outgrowth of Visions from the Heartland, a grassroots futures project. Today, the Center is known throughout North America for its field research on Clues to Rural Community Survival and for its hands-on programs in community leadership development.

      Heartland Center programs and publications stress the critical role played by local leadership as communities and organizations face the challenges associated with changing times. Programs of the Center emphasize that local capacity is critical -- and renewing local leadership essential -- as towns, cities and states work to remain competitive today and in the future. "Energizing Entrepreneurship in Rural America:" April1-4, 2003.

     "A Field guide for Community Building," activities, resources, trouble shooting: www.heartlandfieldguide.info

Journal of Research on Rural Education (JRRE): www.ume.maine.edu/cofed/research/jrre/

      The Journal of Research in Rural Education (ISSN 8756-0534), established in 1982 by the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Maine , publishes the results of educational research conducted in or relevant to rural settings. JRRE welcomes single-study investigations, historical and philosophical analyses, research syntheses, and policy studies regarding any grade level and age group. Particularly encouraged are manuscripts dealing with learning and instruction; preservice and inservice teacher education; educational leadership; and the social, historical, and economic context of rural education.

(LSS) Laboratory for Student Success: www.temple.edu/lss/

     One of 10 Regional Education Labs funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Dept. of ed. To revitalize and reform educational practices in the service of student success. Serves Mid-Atlantic Region (De, MD, NJ, PA, & DC). Primary mission: to bring about lasting improvements in the learning of the region's increasingly diverse student population.

McREL: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning: www.mcrel.org

     A nationally recognized private, nonprofit organization improving education for all through applied research, product development, and service.

     One of 10 regional educational laboratories in the system which represents the U.S. Dept of Ed, serving the 7-state Central Region (Co, Ks, Ms, Ne, NDk, SDk, Wy). Focuses on: helping low-performing schools transform into high-performing learning communities and capturing the procedural knowledge to make it happen; and it leads, nationally, standards-based instructional practice.

           Publishes Rural E-News: ruralnews@mcrel.net

           A monthly e-mail newsletter service that highlights information for rural educators and others interested in rural                        education.

           Publishes: "You Know You're Rural When…": www.mcrel.org/resources/rural/YouKnow/index.htm

Minnesota Rural Education Association: www.mnrea.org

      "Value-added assessments"

      MREA is an association of 150 school districts located in non-metropolitan Minnesota . We represent about forty percent of the state's independent school districts. The organization was founded in 1985 by a group of school board members and administrators who believed that non-metro school districts needed a clearer voice in St. Paul . MREA is an inclusive, grassroots organization. Our members include school districts, education agencies, and individuals. Our Board of Directors includes teachers, school board members, and administrators.

Missouri Association of Rural Education (MARE): www.MoAre.com

     "Unified voice to promote rural education in Missouri "

National Education Knowledge Industry Association: www.nekia.org/about-nekia.html

      NEKIA is the only national trade association representing an emerging industry of researchers, educational developers, service providers, and a rapidly increasing number of entrepreneurs who work across the education spectrum from research to development to dissemination to practice, to advance the development and use of research-based knowledge for the improvement of the academic performance of all children.

National Rural Education: www.nrea.net

      The National Rural Education Association (NREA) is the oldest established national organization of its kind in the United States . Formerly known as the REA, the Association traces its origins back to 1907 when it was originally founded as the Department of Rural Education. For more information about the NREA, see Background

      Montana Heritage Project--community study & civic engagement, Michael Umphrey; MBM Associates, Elaine Johnson--consultants in education & business

National School Boards Associations: www.nsba.org/conference/workshops/rural.cfm

      Rural and Small District Forum , April 5, 2003

      Join your colleagues and learn about the promise of "Rural Education in the Twenty-First Century." PAUL THEOBALD, Dean of the School of

Education and Counseling, Wayne State College, Nebraska, discusses the events and ideologies that have put America 's rural schools on the defensive for the past 50 to 75 years, and points out positive signs on the horizon.

NCREL (North Central Regional Educational Lab): www.ncrel.org

      Is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to providing research-based expertise, resources, assistance, and professional development opportunities to educators and policymakers.

      Pulling Together: The Rural Circumstance: R&D Resources for Rural Schools: www.ncrel.org/rural/intro.htm (see file)

Nebraska Rural Community Schools Association (NRCSA): www.nrcsa.net

      See newsletter

Orton Family Foundation: www.orton.org

      A nonprofit, private operating foundation working with rural communities as they cope with rapid economic, social and environmental change.

Mission is to provide rural America with the tools they need to undertake responsible rural and land use planning.

      Ex: Community Mapping Program: students, educators, community partners--use resources and technology to investigate social, economic and ecological systems, identify & solve local problems, and develop enduring connections           

Public Education Network (PEN): www.publiceducation.org

      PEN is a national association of local education funds and individuals working to advance public school reform in low-income communities across our country…seeks to build public demand and mobilize resources for quality public education for all children through a theory of action that focuses on the importance of public engagement in school reform.

Rural Policy Research Institue (RUPRI): www.rupri.org

      Conducts policy-relevant research and facilitates public dialogue to assist policymakers in understanding the rural impacts of public policies and programs.

     "Place-based rural policy; diversity; commonality"

Society for the Provision of Ed to Rural Australia (SPERA): www.spera.edu.au/

      SPERA holds an annual conference each year to encourage collection and sharing of relevant information on the provision of education in rural areas. Ian McKay, distance education

Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC) http://srdc.msstate.edu/ruraled/index.html

      SRDC has served the 29 Land-Grant institutions of the 13 Southern states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands since 1974, is one of 4 regional rural development centers supporting research and extension efforts to improve the lives of people living in non-metropolitan areas of the U.S.

      Co-Sponsored conference in New Orleans, April 14-15, 2003. (See file; see conference notebook)

Tennessee Technological University Rural Education Consortium: http://plato.ess.tntech.edu/rued/about.html

      The Rural Education Research and Service Consortium was established in 1984 to link the resources of the University with the schools and

communities of the TTU service region. It works with educators, governmental officials, and other community leaders in identifying problems and solution strategies, accessing potential resources, and assisting with the implementation and evaluation of university, school, and community initiatives. Its program is one of the 6 National Rural Education Assn. endorsed rural education centers.

The Rural School and Community Trust: www.ruraledu.org

      Began in 1995 as the Annenberg Rural Challenge, an organization dedicated to improving rural schools and communities by strengthening the ties between them. Voted by Worth (Dec, 2002) as one of the nation's "100 Best Charities." President: Rachel Tompkins, Washington, DC; newsletters:"Rural Policy Matters," and "Rural Roots;" reports: "When it Comes to Schooling…SMALL WORKS: School Size, Poverty, and Student Achievement," Feb. 2000; and "Why Rural Matters 2003: The Continuing Need for Every State to Take Action on Rural Education," Feb. 2003; strategies: 1) expanding place-based education; 2) improving teachers and school leaders in rural places; 3) improving research and analysis on rural education; 4) enhancing rural community organizing, developing rural leaders; 5) ensuring appropriate policy for rural schools; 6) engaging rural young people in community building and civic action; and 7) building visibility and credibility for rural places and their schools.

      What Kids Can Do: www.whatkidscando.org

      An initiative of the Rural School and Community Trust. A national nonprofit organization that promotes the value of young people working with teachers and other adults on projects that combine powerful learning with public purpose. Publication: "Making Youth Known: Small Town, Big Dreams." (July, 2001)

United States Department of Education: www.ed.gov/index.jsp

      Rural Education Achievement Program awards (REAP)

      NCES: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/

      Data from 1999 "Fast Response Survey System" on vocational education programs in secondary schools: rural schools are less likely to offer vocational ed programs for occupations projected to be fast growing

http://nces.ed.gove/surveys/ruraled/

     Teacher quality: www.ed.gov/PressReleases/12-2002/12202002.html

     National Education Program: Education Leaders Council (ELC): www.educationleaders.org;

     NCLB: www.followingtheleaders.org

The Organizations Concerned about Rural Education (OCRE): www.ruralschools.org

       A coalition of organizations interested in improving rural education and rural economic development.

W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research: www.upjohninstitute.org

       Rural dimensions of welfare reform

W.K. Kellogg Foundation: www.wkkf.org/Programming

      Grants for regional rural development

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998: www.ael.org/eric/digests/edorc009.htm

     "Authorized the establishment of the most comprehensive workforce improvement programs ever enacted…Local schools can help share because of the principles of local participation, increased skills for workers, and youth programs." (Lionel Beaulieu, Dec. 2000)

June 25, 2003

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