There are many advantages of small schools: community acceptance, innovative teachers, faculty input in school administration, and a family atmosphere; however, smaller schools also have problems such as fewer staff members, little choice of teachers by students, fewer approaches to teaching, little use of specialists, and fewer books and materials. Increased state mandated graduation requirements increased pressure on small and rural high schools. This paper describes three alternative educational instructional delivery systems to help such schools overcome these shortcomings. Inter-district cooperatives could share facilities; resources, both human and material; or the benefits of technology. Financing of cooperative programs should be through ad valorem taxes and state appropriations proportional to the basic state aid formula. Expanded use of technology, satellite programming, telephone and computer linkages enable small schools to economically expand curriculum while eliminating class size restrictions and overcoming the lack of certified teachers. The use of area vocational technical schools as shared facilities for academic programming makes possible expanded course offerings. Each alternative instructional delivery system is reviewed in terms of its purpose to meet an existing or projected need in rural secondary education, its philosophy, its historical development and the current situation. This document contains 46 references. (DHP)