ERIC ED452000: The Rural Bellwether.

18 Pages·2001·0.75 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
RC 022 937
ED 452 000
Walker, Sherry Freeland, Ed.
AUTHOR
The Rural Bellwether.
TITLE
Education Commission of the States, Denver, CO.
INSTITUTION
ISSN-0736-7511
ISSN
2001-00-00
PUB DATE
17p.; Theme Issue. Published three times a year.
NOTE
Education Commission of the States, 707 17th St., Suite
AVAILABLE FROM
2700, Denver, CO 80202-3427 (annual subscription $20). Tel:
303-299-3600. For full text:
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/24/10/2410.htm.
Collected Works
Serials (022)
PUB TYPE
State Education Leader; v19 n1 Win 2001
JOURNAL CIT
MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Distance Education; Educational Cooperation; Elementary
DESCRIPTORS
Secondary Education; Geographic Isolation; Preschool
Education; *Rural Education; *Rural Schools; School
Readiness; Service Learning; Special Education; Two Year
Colleges
Iowa; Maine; Nevada; North Dakota
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This theme issue of "State Education Leader" contains eight
articles on rural education. "The Rural Bellwether" (Kathy Christie)
discusses declining enrollment in rural schools, rural problems with teacher
shortages and special education funding, issues related to school size and
school district size, and distance learning initiatives. "Iowa Links
Education and Economy" (Greg Nichols) describes a proposal before the Iowa
Legislature to improve teacher quality through pay raises, incentives, and
continuing education, and, thereby, boost student achievement and contribute
to a better educated workforce. "Collaboration'in Nevada's Rural and Urban
Schools" (Robert C. McCord) examines rural-urban collaborative projects
concerned with teacher training and technology use. "Maine School Embraces
Service-Learning" (Trisha L. Smith) describes a student-initiated middle
school project involving cooperation between the school and a paper company
and development of forestry education on company land. "Distance Education
Overcomes Rural Isolation" (Suzanne Weiss) looks at examples of distance
education innovations in rural Colorado, Arizona, and West Virginia.
(J. Parker Chesson, Jr.) discusses
"Community Colleges: Key to Rural Success"
the role of community colleges in rural economic development and increased
access to education. "Special Education: Tough Issue for Rural and Remote
Areas" (Lynne Chalmers) describes a North Dakota program to increase the
supply of rural special education teachers. "Early Learning: Child Care in
Rural America" discusses child care conditions in rural America and efforts
to link child care with preschool services. Rural education resources and
statistics are listed.
(SV)
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.
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EDUCATION
E EDUCAION
COMMISSION
STATES
OF THE
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WINTER 2001
NUMBER 1
VOLUME 19
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U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
The mission of the
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
Education Commission
CENTER (ERIC)
Ceerhis document has been reproduced as
I
received from the person or organization
of the States (ECS) is to
originating it
Minor changes have been made to
help state leaders identify,
improve reproduction quality
develop and implement
Points of view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
public policy for education
official OERI position or policy
that addresses current
26
r
-
and future needs of a
PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND
learning society.
DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS
BEEN GRANTED BY
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TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
1
141
4t" ape.,
'
by Kathy Christie
In fact, in 22 states, more than half of all
Reprinted with permission from Phi Delta
rural schools lost students between the 1994-95
Kappan, February 2001.
and 1997-98 school years, according to the
In this issue
newsletter Rural Policy Matters. Those states
chools in rural America face an array
with the highest percentages of enrollment loss
of problems every bit as daunting and
Collaboration in Nevada.
were Louisiana, Idaho, North Dakota, West
intractable as those confronting
Pages 5-6
Virginia and Wyoming. States with large rural
schools in urban communities. In rural commu-
Maine school embraces
populations have begun to face these and other
nities, graduating students who see no future
service learning. Page 7
problems of rural schooling directly.
locally leave town, and a snowball effect
begins. These young people are no longer there
Distance education
The State Role
overcomes rural isolation.
to start families, to send their children to
Pages 8 -9.
In Iowa, 262 of 374 school districts (70%)
school, to buy toothpaste from the local drug-
experienced enrollment declines between 1999
Special education a tough
, gist or houses from the local realtor. A "brain
issue in rural areas. Pages
and 2000, and the percentage decline has been
drain" begins that leaves fewer high-quality
11-12
largest in districts enrolling fewer than 1,000
workers to attract high-quality jobs. Fewer
students. No wonder Iowa Governor Thomas
high-quality jobs means even fewer opportuni-
Vilsack says his priority is to offer Iowans new
ties for the next generation of students, who
opportunities, including better schools, a
will find themselves forced by economic neces-
preventive health-care system, a cleaner envi-
sity to leave the community.
Continued on next page
[El
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
m
A
Continued from previous page
Commission to apply for funding from the
Corporation for National Service. The funding
ronment, a rejuvenated economy, safer commu-
will be used to provide incentives to college
nities and a more accountable state govern-
graduates to establish their teaching careers in
ment. Vilsack has said that if Iowa doesn't
Nebraska and to encourage experienced
grow during the next 10 years, businesses
Nebraska teachers to pursue graduate degrees.
won't have the personnel they need to prosper.
oo o
oil
o
Mississippi extended the Mississippi
(See page 4 for related story.)
me -.4-
o
-
-
Employer-Assisted Housing Teacher Program,
Meanwhile, legislators in Nebraska passed
which provides interest-free loans to licensed
the Education and Career Preparation Act,
teachers in areas of critical shortage. A new law
which acknowledges that "technology is chang-
9
in Georgia gives schools and school systems
ing the educational and training needs of
the right to advance on the salary schedule
employees." Indeed, state leaders believe that
those teachers willing to teach in such areas of
education and career preparation have become
shortage as mathematics, science, special edu-
critical for the state because students must pos-
0
-
cation or foreign language. Implementation of
.
sess the academic, communication and techno-
o- s
the law depends on funding from the general
11-
e
logical skills they need for employment and
I-
assembly.
s-
.
-
lifelong learning.
Special Education Funding
III I
Attracting Personnel to Rural Schools
-
-
Many rural states and communities strug-
Rural communities face special problems
gle with the costs of providing services to stu-
in attracting staff members for their schools.
-9
o
dents with disabilities. Nebraska set up a
.- -.
For example, a community looking for a
Hardship Fund to allow districts in financial
teacher might not have a job suitable for the
0
distress to borrow to offset such costs such as
-0
0 0
8
teacher's spouse, and newly hired teachers
an unusual number of special education stu-
.00
0.
-I
8
0
0
accustomed to the convenience of multiple
dents. New Hampshire provides double weight-
"0
movie theaters and major malls sometimes find
ing in its finance formula for each full-time
it hard to adjust to the extremely limited
0
student enrolled in a special education pro-
choices of a rural community. While the quiet,
gram. [Although] the formula does not take
the lack of traffic, the low crime rate and the
into account the type of special needs each stu-
beautiful sunsets are clear attractions, staff
8 00
I
.
dent may have.
-0
members new to rural communities must often
00
S .
deal with loneliness, wind, cold or lack of suit-
The Size of Schools and Districts
0
able housing.
The debate over the most efficient size of
00 08
O .
0 0 -
-
Many states are exploring ways to help
school districts continues. Over the past 40
deal with shortfalls in teacher recruitment. For
-
years, states have greatly reduced the numbers
example, Rhode Island has extended to 90 days
s
of districts through a process known as consoli-
SO .90
It I-
-
in a school year the period of time that retired
dation. Because combining school districts is
.11
:I
I I
teachers may act as substitutes. Oklahoma
such a contentious community issue, legislators
I
passed a law allowing substitute teachers whose
are reluctant to broach the topic. In South
certificates have lapsed or who have bachelor's
-
9
Dakota, for example, the Rapid City Journal
degrees to teach up to 100 days a year. And
-0
-
0-
recently reported that legislators this year will
8
Tennessee allows retired teachers to resume
0 8
discuss eliminating the 20% small-school
0
teaching without loss of benefits under certain
bonus that has allowed many small districts to
.
-
conditions.
survive. If this happens, many districts would
:
Kentucky passed H.B. 519, which (1)
need to consolidate or die. Predicted
defines areas of critical shortage in particular
Representative Gordon Pederson, "You're turn-
-
subject matters, at specific grade levels or in
S
ing tigers loose out of the cage. You'll have
I
-
geographic locations; (2) implements the hiring
blood all over the hallways."
$
0
I -
.
of teachers in areas of critical shortage; (3) pro-
08
The Iowa legislature approved an incentive
.
0 OS
vides that a retired teacher may return to work
0
. -
program in 1993 that encourages rural districts
in an area of critical shortage without loss of
to share administrators, classes and even partic-
retirement benefits; and (4) permits school dis-
ular levels of schooling. The Iowa school
tricts to hire retired teachers as full-time
finance formula has a mechanism designed to
employees. Nebraska passed a law last spring
cushion the impact of enrollment declines over
Education Commission of the States
that authorizes the Nebraska Volunteer Services
STATE EDUCATION LEADER
a number of years.
3
VOL. 19
WINTER 2001
NO. 1
2
o
Improving Access
A Minnesota measure requires all school
boards to submit a cooperation and coordina-
A number of states have moved to help
tion plan to the state board for review. The law
their rural school districts by means of the
includes provisions concerning both voter
Internet. West Virginia established the West
approval of proposals to combine districts and
Virginia Virtual School to offer Internet courses
the treatment of financial obligations.
to students who cannot get comparable courses
In Rhode Island, a commission appointed
at their local schools. Oklahoma passed a simi-
by the governor concluded in 1992 that there
lar law creating the Virtual Internet School in
would be no savings realized from merging its
Oklahoma Network. In Arkansas, the general
37 districts into just six. Savings could be
assembly created the Interagency Distance
gained only from closing schools or increasing
Learning Review Commission and now
class sizes, and neither was a palatable option.
requires coordination of all aspects of distance-
A broad-based coalition of leading rural,
learning activities.
farm and education activists in Nebraska has
Rural Perspective, Rural Needs
formed the Nebraska Alliance for Rural
Education. The alliance's 1999 report, Small
Following the history-making events of the
Schools, Big Results, contends that the propor-
Presidential election of 2000, one cannot help
Ql[T]he proportion
tion of Nebraska students who graduate from
but be more aware of those states that, despite
high school averages 97% in districts with less
sparse populations, still retain strong voices
of Nebraska students
than 100 high school students, while the
through the electoral college. So it is with the
statewide average is 85%.
rural voices within states and among states. The
who graduate from
The report also claims that annual cost
voices may be fewer and less densely distrib-
high school averages
differences between the smallest schools and
uted, but they are no less powerful. And what
those that are most efficient to run are cut in
happens in rural communities might be the
97% in districts with
half when measured as cost per graduate rather
bellwether for the health of the nation. The
than as the traditional cost per pupil. Nebraska
less than 100 high
problems of declining enrollment in the
schools with fewer than 70 high school stu-
Dakotas and Iowa are problems of all
school students, while
dents, the report says, average only 25% higher
Americans.
cost per graduate than those with 600-999 stu-
the statewide average
Christie is ECS vice president for information
dents, while they average a 50% higher cost per
management and the Clearinghouse.n
is 85%.!T
pupil. In addition, the alliance contends that
any higher costs associated with small schools
virtually disappear when the substantial costs
of nongraduates and the positive societal
impact of college-educated citizens are
considered.
ST E EDUC t ION
r
1
Published three times a year. Annual
subscriptions are $20. Subscribe now
Name
Address
City, State, ZIP
Telephone (
)
FAX
E-mail
Education Commission of the States
STATE EDUCATION LEADER
L.
4
_1
VOL. 19
WINTER 2001
NO. 1
3
r
tfilatAXEMET.MOITE.W.MEW
IMIP
415,91111d2:F:9F-0.4.
EDUCATION AND ECONOMY
by Greg Nichols
New Economy
fter being hit hard by the farm crisis of
the 1980s, rural Iowa is struggling to
As Vilsack said earlier this year in his
r4...,
move ahead.
Condition-of-the-State address, the new econ-
In their first two years in office, Governor
omy in Iowa "uses genetic codes, computer
Tom Vilsack and Lieutenant Governor Sally J.
chips and other science and technology marvels
Pederson have taken steps to educate Iowans
to create new frontiers" and "relies on well-
about the challenges facing the state, create
educated and productive workers, is energized
more opportunities and lay the groundwork for
by dynamic, global markets, rewards innova-
future changes.
tion and creativity, and is driven by rapidly
This push for dramatic change is strongest
growing, technologically connected small
as Iowans look at the link between a top-quality
businesses. Such a new economy will lead to
education for all children and the state's ability
higher incomes for working Iowans and their
to move to the new economy. It is clear the
families and a better quality of life for all
state's future cannot depend on an economy
Iowans."
built on low commodity prices and low-tech
Because of this need for a well-educated
jobs, a path that led to sagging family incomes
workforce, the major initiative to be addressed
and stagnant population growth, especially in
by the current 2001 session of the Iowa
rural areas and small towns.
Legislature is a proposal to improve teacher
quality and student achievement. The gover-
nor's office, key legislators from both parties
and the Department of Education are working
on a proposal that will change how the state
pays and supports teachers, and how it
strengthens the focus on student achievement.
This proposal is expected to feature four
key elements:
Base pay levels that enable Iowa to be strate-
gically positioned to attract and retain edu-
cation talent
Variable pay that provides additional com-
pensation if student performance improves
significantly
An induction program with mentors that will
support new teachers
Ej Continuing education that will directly sup-
port better teaching practices.
Education Commission of the
a es
5
Nichols is the legislative affairs coordinator for
STATE EDUCATION LEADER
VOL. 19
WINTER 2001
NO. 1
the governor of lowa.0
3
4
LL
UMW
by Robert C. McCord
o many people's surpnse, Nevada is
the most urban state in the Union'
The notion that Nevada has the highest
Facility
percentage of its K-12 students attending
Inequities
schools in urban settings stands in stark con-
Nevada
trast to the popular image of a sparsely popu-
school districts
lated largely desert wasteland punctuated by
have a strong statu-
neon.
tory foundation of
The fact is that Nevada's 17 county school
local control.
districts represent great diversity with a huge
Consistent with this
fast-growing urban district of more than
charge, the Nevada
230,000 students (Clark County) situated adja-
Legislature obligates and
cent to rural districts, many of which are expe-
authorizes its school distncts
riencing static or declining enrollment spread
to assume responsibility for
throughout districts the size of many states.
funding capital development and,
Conventional wisdom would suggest that
in the past, has provided no capital develop-
such diversity would produce two worlds apart
ment funding. Unfortunately, the static or
with little or no need to collaborate. But,
declining enrollment and flat economic condi-
Nevada stands as a land of surprises with note-
tions in many rural districts have produced an
worthy examples of emerging rural/urban
Education Commission of the States
inequitable school facility condition. For exam-
school district collaboration. Three examples
STATE EDUCATION LEADER
exemplify this emerging collaboration.
VOL. 19
NO. 1
WINTER 2001
Continued on next page
5
a
intergovernmental capital development and
Continued from previous page
technology use in schools. The plan called for
ple, an urban fast-growing district routinely
the district and the CCSN to jointly develop
opened a new school every 38 days, while the
and share a high-tech classroom and computer
adjacent rural district was faced with evacuat-
laboratory facility on comprehensive high
ing its century-old schools during windy days.
school campuses. The legislature funded this
The inequity of this condition first was realized
program in several locations throughout south-
by districts and then by the legislature which
ern Nevada. The concept has become a proto-
began infusing state funds into rural districts
type for expanding both CCSN programs,
with no capacity to fund capital development
vitally important for the economic development
on their own. Admittedly, the diversion of
of rural communities, as well as desperately
funds was not large, but the benefit derived by
needed technology to rural high schools.
this collaboration created the political founda-
Development of the prototype led to the fund-
tion that enabled increased funding for other
ing of similar high-technology centers through-
collaborative efforts between urban and rural
out rural Nevada and promises to produce
districts.
collaboration between rural and urban school
districts and postsecondary education.
Teacher Training
Governor Kenny C. Guinn, ECS chairman-
Playing off of the collaboration between
elect and past superintendent of schools in the
rural and urban districts in the facility develop-
Clark County School District, has indicated his
ment program, the state funded a Regional
commitment to continue this collaboration
Professional Development Program to improve
between urban and rural school districts.
teacher preparation. The program consists of
McCord is an assistant professor in the
borderless entities designed to deliver services
Department of Educational Leadership of the
to the state's geographic regions. While the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and is the
legislature designated the largest district in each
director of the university's Center for
geographic area as the fiscal agent, it purpose-
Education Policy Studies. He previously served
fully created a governance structure requiring
as deputy assistant superintendent for govern-
rural and urban districts to collaborate in plan-
ment relations and educational accountability
ning and sharing the resources provided. The
with the Clark County School Districtia
resulting dialogue among district leaders has
proved to support the belief that staff develop-
For more information:
ment needs are borderless and collaboration is
possible, practical and politically wise.
www.leg.nv.state.us
M Nevada Legislature
M Nevada Education Reform Act
Technology Use
www.leg.nv.ustleb/fiscal/LeBeapeAnnualRpt
Finally, the legislature capitalized on a
001.htm
joint facility-use plan piloted by the largest
urban district and the Community College of
Community College of Southern Nevada
Southern Nevada (CCSN) to promote both
www.ccsn.nevada.edu
Education Commission of the States
STATE EDUCATION LEADER
7
WINTER 2001
VOL. 19
NO. 1
6
D
MAINE SCHOOL EMBR
donation or purchase
Editor's note: Although rural communities
options, involvement
may provide fewer opportunities for their stu-
of company experts
dents than larger areas, many are finding cre-
and various other
ative ways to expand learning outside the
classroom. Here is one teacher's account of
issues involved in
land-use agree-
how her very small school got students
ments. In the
involved in their rural community, and a local
spring, paper com-
employer involved with the students.
pany representa-
he Airline Community School, a K-8
tives proposed a
school located in Aurora, Maine, has
potential site.
fewer than 50 students. Much of the
It contained
community is supported directly or indirectly
a clear-cut,
by the natural resources of the area, mainly the
selectively
lumber and blueberry industries. When looking
harvested
at community resources that could be used for
forest and
service-learning, it seemed fitting to focus on
an old-
the environment.
growth for-
Our involvement with service-learning
est over a
began in fall 1999 when we asked students to
10-acre span
think of a project that focused on the question,
located only a
"How does increased population and develop-
by Trisha L. Smith
few miles from
ment in our rural communities affect the eco-
the school. The
logical systems we presently enjoy?" The
location and diver-
project's focus was to be on a concern or need
sity of this land pro-
in the community.
vide a variety of
Throughout the fall, students were involved
habitats, a good repre-
with various mini-service learning projects. For
sentation of forest suc-
instance, with the cooperation of a local con-
cession, access to two
struction company, they helped to construct an
ponds, an active beaver
erosion control ditch along a new road.
dam, an observable wood
Students also helped spread nutrient-rich brush
duck box and a small
at a wetland mitigation site and observed
stream. The land had all of the qualities
inct..hanisnis to protect the water quality and
addressed in the students' proposal and
habitats along the banks of the river.
then some.
Student-Generated Projects
Student Success
The element missing from these projects,
A forester for the paper company took 5th-
however, was student initiation. A 5th grader,
8th graders on a guided tour of the site,
after reading articles about how individuals had
explaining possible uses for the land while
made a difference protecting parts of the envi-
teaching them about the nature around them.
ronment, proposed that students write letters to
On October 27, 2000, the superintendent of
Champion International Paper Company
schools signed a three-year lease, at no cost,
requesting a piece of land in our area that could
allowing students to use the land as an outdoor
be set aside as a "historical landmark in
classroom. Local television stations covered the
nature." Several phone conversations and dis-
reception ceremony, ribbon cutting and signing
cussions later, we also began discussing the
of the lease agreement, recognizing the
possibility of a forestry education element. It
students as individuals who can make a
seemed like an important balance for students
difference.
studying Maine's ecological issues, as well as
Smith teaches 5th and 6th grade at the Airline
major roles in Maine's economy.
Community School in Aurora, Maine.
Students and company officials discussed
Education Commission of the States
site conditions, location, legal issues, limita-
STATE EDUCATION LEADER
tions, opportunities for broader learning, lease,
VOL. 19
WINTER 2001
NO. 1
7
DISTANCE EDUCMON
OVERCOME-81M
ISOLATION
by Suzanne Weiss
Closing the Gap with Technology
lending old-fashioned cooperation
with cutting-edge technology, four
Today, a growing number of rural schools
rural school districts along a 25-mile
are hooked up in such fashion, not only to one
stretch of Interstate 70 east of Denver created
another within a given county, but also to class-
Colorado's first distance-learning network a
rooms in other parts of the state and even to
decade ago.
!!A national
colleges and universities. Advances in technol-
Opportunistically tapping into the fiber-
ogy and telecommunications
from interac-
survey of more than
optic cable system being developed on the east-
tive television to the Internet
have greatly
ern plains by independent phone companies,
expanded rural schools' ability to overcome the
7,000 kindergarten
the four towns linked their high school class-
disadvantages of geographic isolation and lim-
rooms together in an effort to share resources
teachers... found
ited resources.
and expand student choices.
Distance education, as it is called, is
that 35% of the
The idea was that it made less sense for
instructional delivery that does not require the
each of the districts to hire a separate French
student to be physically present in the same
nation's children are
teacher than to have the French teacher in one
location as the instructor. It can be either syn-
not ready for school.//
place simultaneously instructing classes at all
involving the "real time," simulta-
chronous
four schools. This was accomplished through
neous participation of students and instructors,
the use of "studio" classrooms equipped with a
using interactive TV, teleconferences and the
half-dozen video monitors that allowed a
or asynchronous, which does not
like
teacher full view of all four classrooms at once.
require simultaneous participation. Instead, stu-
As a result, 11th and 12th graders in the
dents may choose their own instructional time-
four districts returned to school in fall 1992 to
frame, working on what they want to work on,
find a new menu of courses
calculus, French
when they want to work on it. Asynchronous
and German, communications and vocational
delivery modes include email, listservs, audio-
that previously would have been
agriculture
and videotaped courses, and Internet-based
available to only a few of them.
instruction.
Education Commission of the States
STATE EDUCATION LEADER
VOL. 19
WINTER 2001
9
NO. 1
8
Distance education has been around for
students in remote, sparsely populated Wetzel
more than a century, dating back to the corre-
County, where until recently, their main infor-
spondence courses that allowed students in
mation resource was the school library.
remote sections of the country to earn college
Several years ago, district officials decided
degrees by mail. Today, it is used in all areas of
to tackle the "digital divide" head on. The dis-
education, including K-12 and postsecondary,
trict installed a T-1 connection and joined
home schooling, continuing education, corpo-
NETSchools, a program that gives every stu-
rate training, military and government training
dent and teacher a laptop computer connected
and telemedicine.
to a local-area network through infrared ports
In higher education, university and college installed in each room.
The high school, in effect, was transformed
instructors frequently lecture not only to the
students right in front of them but also to stu-
into a large computer lab, with students able to
dents at another campus, at a satellite facil-
ity or, because of space limitations, in the
overflow classroom next door. And more
and more institutions are providing stu-
dents with the opportunity to earn under-
graduate and advanced degrees without
ever setting foot in a classroom, via satel-
lite, audio and over the Internet.
Teacher Preparation
At the K-12 level, the principal appli-
cations of distance education are resource
sharing, student enrichment and teacher
professional development, particularly cru-
cial for schools in remote, rural areas.
As an example, schools on the
Havasupai Indian Reservation near the
Grand Canyon in Arizona are isolated on
all sides by high canyon walls that make
even radio communications impossible.
Cable, fiber and Internet access, common
in more populated areas, are luxuries on
this remote reservation.
Recently, the Havasupai faced a cutoff in
in hnllwnyQ, the cafeteria and the
connect
Head Start services, triggered by a new federal
library, as well as in classrooms.
requirement that Head Start teachers obtain an
Within six months, 80% of the school's
associate degree in early child development or
144 students were accessing the Internet daily
be disqualified from the program. The
from special education students to students
Havasupai turned for help to Northern Arizona
in the agriculture program
and within a year,
University, an institution experienced in using
students' scores on the Stanford Achievement
the Internet and video-conferencing to broad-
Test were higher in every subject than the pre-
cast classes to isolated communities.
vious year.
Working together, tribal officials and the
Research on distance education in K-12
university obtained a federal grant to buy and
schools, as well as in adult learning and train-
4'
install satellite dishes to beam early childhood
ing settings, strongly suggests that it is an
education classes to several locations on the
effective means for delivering instruction.
reservation, therefore, preserving the
Provided teachers are well-versed in technol-
Havasupai's Head Start program.
ogy, distance-learning programs can facilitate
interactions between teachers and students out-
Broadening Horizons
side of time and space constraints, improve stu-
Thousands of miles away, in rural West
dent interaction with the course material and
Virginia, advances in technology and telecom-
one another.
munications are expanding academic opportu-
Education Commission of the States
.Weiss is ECS managing editoal
STATE EDUCATION LEADER
nities and broadening-horizons for high school
10
VOL. 19
WINTER 2001
NO. 1
9
El