The Rural Education Bureau of the New Mexico Public Education Department has established a program to address the special needs of schools and communities in the extensive rural areas of the state. High poverty rates, depopulation and a general lack of viable economic opportunity have marked rural New Mexico for decades. The program underway aims…

Using the Self-Descriptive Inventory, compares development of self-concept, self-esteem, self-ideal in physical maturity, peer relations, academic success, school adaptiveness in 50 rural children (Hatch, New Mexico) and 50 urban children (Las Cruces New Mexico). Finds negative patterns in academic success and school adaptiveness more pronounced…

A survey of 725 rural and small school teachers and principals in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas examined the nature and content of staff development activities, and educator definitions, preferences, and satisfaction related to staff development. (SV)

Compares and contrasts first year teaching experiences of a grandmother (1919) and granddaughter (1980) in small, isolated, rural New Mexico schools. Offers suggestions for improving recruitment and retention of rural teachers in areas of salary, housing conditions, school philosophy and morale, student population, and community life. (NEC)

A random sample of 559 secondary small school principals in Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas revealed that 73 percent of the principals were actively seeking new positions or were leaving school administration. The findings have implications for selection procedures, salary/fringe benefit packages, principal autonomy, evaluation…

Reports on a survey of parental opinions and attitudes toward schooling among 40 rural and small-town New Mexico families, all Anglo, involved in home schooling. Concludes that these parents were not greatly dissatisfied with public education, but mainly sought to shelter their children from the negative influences of other children and society.…

Two community meetings in a rural multicultural New Mexico school district examined community expectations of teachers. Awareness and sensitivity to cultural differences were identified as the most important qualities. Other qualities are presented in three sections: knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Commonly held values and beliefs of Native…

Risk factors associated with teenage pregnancy were studied among 95 Hispanic, Native American, and White ninth-grade females at a rural New Mexico high school. All respondents, regardless of ethnicity, reported moderate levels of health-compromising behaviors such as alcohol use, poor communication with parents regarding sex, and a false sense of…

A cohort of 29 students in a small rural New Mexico school completed a self-report measure of behavioral intention toward alcohol and drug use in 7th and 11th grades. During the four years between measures, students received intensive education about resisting pro-drug-use pressures. Students reported significantly better behavioral intention…

New Mexico middle and high school counselors from small rural school districts perceived less substance use, gang-related violence, high-risk sexual activity, and sensation seeking among students than did counselors from urban and large rural districts and spent more time on administrative responsibilities than their counterparts. However,…

Describes the Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico Rural Systemic Initiative (UCAN RSI), which aims to improve and integrate science, mathematics, and technology education for the primarily Native American and Hispanic students of the Four Corners region. Discusses UCAN RSI's focus on community engagement, cultural sensitivity and relevance, and…