Rapid population growth in rural areas has confronted rural communities and particularly rural educational systems with a number of problems. Sudden, large increases in students crowd school facilities and strain budgets. The different values, attitudes, and orientations toward education of the newcomers act as a catalyst for changes and can cause conflict within the community. In 1978 the U.S. Department of Agriculture studied two communities confronted by such drastic, rapid population growth. In both cases the educational system was afflicted with student overload and crowded facilities. The town of "Reliance" had not experienced economic growth commensurate with its population boom and voters there were unwilling to bear increased taxation for schools. Unsatisfactory stop-gap solutions to overcrowding led to even greater dissatisfaction and negative attitudes among community members. The mining boom town of "Appaloosa" did have a strong economic base and townspeople there worked together to secure improved facilities, more teachers, and stronger school programs. The two community case studies include discussion of general community settings, the educational systems as impacted by rapid growth, school-community relations, and ways school districts and communities coped with the impacts. (Author/DS)