The first convention of People United for Rural Education focused on creating awareness of the value in rural education and small schools. In two general sessions, recognized national leaders spoke on the following topics: the small school experience; rurally responsive teacher training; conventional wisdom in rural education; and past efforts and future opportunities for improving rural education. The first day's concurrent sessions offered a variety of topics including: how Oregon and Texas have organized for the improvement of small schools in their states; what career education projects have been developed for rural schools in Washington State and Oregon; how colleges in Illinois and Vermont are training rural educators; what Iowa Area Education Agencies and community colleges can do to regionalize opportunities for rural students; how the principles of individually guided education work in small schools; financing of Iowa schools; a status report on the Department of Public Instruction's Equalization Study; and an in-service work session for the rural educator. The next day's concurrent sessions dealt with the programs operating in Iowa's small rural school districts. A panel of legislators discussed possible legislative solutions to rural education problems in Iowa. The closing session featured a panel of Iowa educational association leaders who discussed the future of small schools. (CM)