Rural School Success: What Can We Learn?

dc.creator	Barley, Z. A.
dc.date	2007-01-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-08-12T11:19:25Z
dc.date.available	2015-08-12T11:19:25Z
dc.identifier	1551-0670
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/981354e7b639429aa264f18930c59a44
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/27584
dc.description	This article reports on an exploratory study of the factors perceived by school personnel to contribute to success in highperforming, high-needs (HPHN) rural schools. It is based on earlier research in HPHN schools that identified 4 key components of success (leadership, instruction, professional community, and school environment) and explored the factors that comprise them and the relationships among them. In this study, 21 central United States rural schools were identified whose assessment scores and free and/or reduced-price lunch rates indicated that they were high-performing but also high-needs. Principals from these schools were interviewed about the factors they associate with success. Five schools subsequently received site visits that included additional interviews and focus groups of educators, school board members, parents, and community representatives. From the site visits, case studies were created to further elaborate the schools’ stories. The most important perceived factors identified from telephone interviews were high expectations, focus on student learning, use of data, individualization of instruction, teacher retention and professional development, and alignment of curriculum with assessment. The case studies revealed that although schools differed in context, they all reported a supportive relationship with their community, high teacher retention, and high expectations for students. The close relationship with the community was thought to help schools enact high expectations and facilitate principal leadership. Further work is needed to identify factors distinguishing high-performing, high-needs schools from low-performing, high-needs rural schools.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	University of Maine College of Education & Human Development
dc.relation	http://www.umaine.edu/jrre/22-1.htm
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/1551-0670
dc.source	Journal of Research in Rural Education, Vol 22, Iss 1 (2007)
dc.subject	rural education
dc.subject	rural schools
dc.subject	school effectiveness
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.title	Rural School Success: What Can We Learn?
dc.type	article