This proceedings summarizes a conference sponsored by the Center for Rural Education and Small Schools at Kansas State University. Included are the keynote speech and abstracts of 46 conference presentations. The keynote speech, "Invisible and Silent along the Blue Highways," by Patricia A. Schmuck, examines problems of ethnic, racial, and gender bias in small rural schools, and suggests ways to overcome pervasive myths about diversity and to provide equal educational opportunity for all students. The following key issues relevant to rural and small schools were emphasized in the conference sessions: (1) student assessment; (2) service integration; (3) educational leadership; (4) staff development; (5) multicultural education; (6) promoting community and family involvement in schools; (7) inclusion of disabled students; (8) educational software; (9) educational technology; (10) school improvement; (11) curriculum development; (12) educational change; and (13) role of superintendents. (LP)