A cooperative effort by the Teacher Corps, the University of West Florida, the Okaloosa School District Teacher Center and community members resulted in a graduate program for 34 elementary and secondary teachers at a rural school. This program was created after a self-study of a local school and the surrounding community indicated that school community cooperation, student motivation, student performance, and discipline policies could be improved. The two-year academic program was designed to provide experiences and activities through three major avenues: (1) core courses in such areas as multicultural education and classroom management; (2) seminars or independent study geared to individual needs; and (3) action research projects conducted around an individual's chosen area of specialization. The core courses were completed during the first year, after which participants identified specific areas of community, school, classroom, and personal needs to be studied. University advisors provided group instruction and assistance in action research skills. A research seminar was held during the first year to refine the participants' organization and strategy skills through group discussion. Forty completed projects were presented by the researchers at a colloquium, an event that will occur annually in an effort to motivate and institutionalize classroom research. (FG)