This narrative literature analysis examines the storylines of rural teachers told through published research on rural teachers. Using a narrative analysis approach, we investigated research published between 1970 and 2010--four decades of rural-oriented education research and policy work. Four storylines emerged from our coding of rural-related…

In my 15th and final year as JRRE editor, I identify methodological and substantive shortcomings in the rural education research literature and, in turn, suggest strategies for improvement. I structure my observations around the following considerations: describing the rural context of research, making the rural argument, framing the research…

Academic discourse relating to the cultural relevance of indigenous education is ever expanding both nationally in Canada and internationally. Reflecting upon recent research data as well as lived experience as a teacher educator in Nunavut, I offer a critique of some well-established beliefs connected to considerations of culturally appropriate…

An adequate research base for mathematics learning and teaching in rural areas does not exist. According to Silver (2001), mathematics education research has virtually ignored rural context, even though approximately one third of the nation's population lives in rural areas. Mathematics education and rural education researchers seem to have little…

The No Child Left Behind Act requires all teachers to be highly qualified by 2005-06. Accomplishing this will require statewide collaboration among higher education, school districts, certification boards, and departments of education. Data from recent studies of teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development in Wyoming illustrate…

A review of the limited evidence regarding grade-span configuration effects on academic achievement and other outcomes indicates that achievement in middle grades is higher in schools with an elementary-wide configuration than a middle-grades configuration. Continuity of experience may explain this finding, but more research is needed to…

Dewey-inspired educational progressivism in the early 20th century is generally seen as an urban phenomenon. This article traces a tradition of rural progressivism during 1910-50, centered at Teachers College in New York City, and explores the implications of that tradition for educators and rural education reformers today. (Contains 47…

Despite the need for more and better research on rural education, recent federal policy trends favoring broadly applicable, "problem-centered" research threaten to abandon responsibility for "targeted" populations to the agendas of private and state-based organizations. Rural research funding is discussed in relation to the regional educational…

Compares standards-based reforms with rural school improvement efforts that emphasize locally responsive, place-based curricula. Concludes that while the two movements differ in philosophical orientation, they share the goals of increasing equity in schools, making curricula and pedagogy intellectually rigorous, and creating content and…

Reviews key literature on rural education, 1974-98. Describes characteristics of rural schools and communities. Discusses the results of 100 years of efforts to urbanize and homogenize rural schools, and the question of whose interests should be served by rural schools. Examines ideas about the nature of appropriate rural school improvement, and…

Rural schools experience major problems in every aspect of personnel preparation in special education. Review examines what has been done and the problems faced by rural schools in the areas of traditional and nontraditional preservice programs, individual and program qualification mechanisms, personnel recruitment and retention, and retraining…

Examines school-funding equity litigation concerning rural schools, effects of political power on rural funding, rural and urban competition for funding, unique funding problems of rural schools, the growing threat to equity posed by sales-tax funding schemes, and future funding-litigation strategies for rural schools. Tables list relevant federal…

The 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are examined with rural schools in mind, focusing on discipline, performance goals and indicators, individual education plans, parent participation, student reevaluations, children ages 3 to 9, preschool programs, disproportionate special-education placements by race or…

Argues that the primary purpose of mass education in America--nation-building--is collapsing and that educational researchers must develop different commitments; among these are local purposes for education. Distinguishes rural (local) and cosmopolitan commitments; suggests readings and other means of preparation for rural educational research;…

Examines the need to help rural youth become employable in today's changing circumstances, especially young adolescents in middle school programs. Discusses elements in effective School-to-Employment (STE) programs, basic job skills appropriate to middle-school exploratory STE programs, and the need for program articulation between middle and high…