The Delaware Research for Better Schools Rural Assistance Council's (RAC) mission is to develop a rural assistance agenda for the state. The Council stated four objectives: (1) identifying the most pressing needs of Delaware's rural schools and school districts; (2) developing plans, in cooperation with appropriate state organizations, for attending to those needs; (3) outlining an operational agenda for carrying out the plan; and (4) establishing a network of Delaware organizations and associations and enlisting their assistance in carrying out the plan. The Council met with representatives from the rural school systems to identify the pressing needs. Next, a team visited various organizations (both education and noneducation) to gather responses to the identified issues. The RAC then developed a legislative agenda consisting of the following four items: (1) continued State promotion of the Division III funding process, which attempts to equalize current expense monies to school districts; (2) sufficient funding to fully implement the last restrictive environment initiative; (3) a reduction of the number of teacher units needed to qualify for a second principal from 55 to 50; and (4) the implementation of a formula to equalize major capital improvement funding for facilities. Political and business leaders from Delaware presented the RAC's issues at a banquet for over 300 educators, farmers, and small businessmen. Future plans include sponsoring conferences addressing higher order thinking skills, drugs, and technology. (KS)