The 1984 conference proceedings consists of introductory material followed by 12 major addresses in 4 general sessions: "Building Partnerships in Rural Education," Robert M. Worthington; "Greetings from the National Rural Education Association," James D. Jess; "Excellence in Rural Education," Anne Campbell; "Gifted and Talented in Small Schools - What and How," Catherine Burkland; "An Exemplary High School Program," Max Morrison; "Computer Program," Bill Ashby; "Teaching Students Learning Styles on Brain Research." Ivan Muse and Bruce Barker; "Iowa's Most Rural High Schools...Their Past, Present, and Future," William Dreier; "A Report of Innovative Rural School Programs in the United States" and "A Profile of Small/Rural School Districts in Iowa Compared to School Districts of Similar Size Nationwide," both by Ivan Muse and Bruce Barker; and "The Road to Excellence and Equity," Robert Benton. The conference report also includes banquet addresses from Iowa's Lieutenant Governor Robert T. Anderson and Roger A. Baskerville, and gives a list of award recipients. It describes a meeting with Iowa legislators and concludes with minutes of the 1984 annual meeting, a roster of attending exhibitors and school districts, and speakers' addresses. (SB)