McRel Rural E-News, No. 44, June 2005

1. More rural districts offering AP exams Des Moines (Iowa) Register
A new report released by the Univ. of Iowa's Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted Education
and Talent Development shows more high schools — including those in rural areas are offering AP than in the past. Access is expanding to small Iowa high schools through Iowa Online Advanced Placement Academy, which Belin-Blank has offered since 2001.

2. Teacher exodus plagues schools The Detroit News
Nearly half of Michigan teachers are profession only a few years after they mirroring a national dilemma and causing headaches for districts struggling to keep educators. The problem is particularly rural and urban districts. Although mentoring programs have shown success in retaining teachers, rural and urban schools often funds to support such programs.

3. Creating more power for rural schools Bismarck (N.D.) Tribune
As more teachers become eligible to retire, student enrollment drops and the No Child Left Behind Act toughens requirements, many rural schools can't provide students with the resources they need. To overcome these obstacles, 47 districts in eastern North Dakota are establishing two joint powers agreements to combine their resources.

4. Suit claims Georgia’s rural students shortchanged Atlanta Journal Constitution
A lawsuit that argues the state has failed to provide an adequate education for Georgia students,
particularly those in small, rural communities, got a first hearing in Fulton County Superior Court on June 23. The suit, filed by 51 mostly rural school systems, is the first significant challenge to the state's school finance system in decades. If it proceeds, Georgia could be compelled to provide more money for
education or to revise the way school funds are distributed among systems.

5. Scientists study impact of ag chemicals Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald
Univ. of North Dakota researchers are studying the impacts of chronic exposure to chemicals, specifically pesticides, on children's ability to learn and comprehend. Tom Petros, a professor of psychology, said very little is known on the subject, so he and other scientists from UND's Center for Rural Health and the Department of Biology are conducting a comprehensive evaluation of local school-aged children to come up with definitive findings.

6. Rural educators find common issues Education Week (requires free registration)
Rural education scholars and activists from all corners of the globe converged June 19-23 in Abingdon, Virginia for the fourth International Rural Network Conference. Participants shared information about the struggles of rural schools and people worldwide. They heard about “place-based learning” in Alabama and Alaska, a concept that emphasizes the use of local resources to teach children. And they heard about small-school survival in Norway and Sweden; the influence of rural parents in Australia; and the plight of students in South Africa who live on commercial farms.

7. ED Teacher-to-Teacher Workshops Summer 2005
Building on the success of last year's teacher workshops, the U.S. Department of Education will again host a series of free workshops for 12 teachers and principals during the summer of 2005. Some of the nation's best teachers and principals will share their strategies for raising student achievement and informing teachers of the latest, successful research-based practices. The four remaining summer
workshops will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota (July 11-13); Tampa, Florida (July 18-20); Bethesda, Maryland (July 25-27); and San Jose, California (August 1-3).

8. Leading Learning for the Future Sept. 22-24, 2005, Westminster, CO
Are you ready for the future? Join McREL for our “Leading Learning for the Future” conference, where you’ll learn from cutting-edge research and innovation how to create successful schools today and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.

9. Rural High School Reading Proficiency Nat’l Assoc. of State Boards of Education
Two new NASBE issue briefs offer case studies of reforms rural schools in Arizona and Mississippi
are making to improve minority student reading proficiency. Among some key observations for policymakers are that high-stakes testing requiring reading proficiency for graduation may be a necessary incentive for getting students to focus on reading and that high school libraries and specialists are necessary supports for improving reading instruction.

10. New Architecture of Rural Prosperity Southern Growth Policies Board
A survey conducted by SGPB found that many rural residents don't buy into the more-is-better approach that seeks to bring transforming growth to rural areas. Instead, they want to preserve small-town and rural lifestyles while still having enough economic opportunity to keep their young people there. "They don't really like it when people or organizations try to tie the success of a community to whether it's getting big or not," said Jim Clinton, SGPB executive director. "They want it to get better,
not necessarily a lot larger."

11. Learning by Doing Appalachian Regional Commission
Americans live in a nation where entrepreneurs create a high standard of living, but many rural
communities find themselves lacking in entrepreneurial vision. The Learning by Doing handbook
offers ideas for encouraging young people to risk venturing into the world of business and
becoming successful business people.

12. Ark. Act 60 impact on African-American school leadership & racial composition Rural School and Community Trust
Arkansas' Act 60 mandated annexation or consolidation of districts with less than 350 students. A new Rural School & Community Trust report examines the impact of this law on the racial composition of student populations, school boards, and administrations of 27 districts affected by consolidations involving districts with an African-American majority.

RESOURCES & INFORMATION

13. Kids In Need Teacher Grants
SHOPA Foundation Kids In Need Teacher Grant applications will be available July 15. This year more than $105,000 is being offered in grants to certified K-12 teachers at any public, private, or parochial school in the U.S. Grants are from $100 to $500 for innovative classroom projects. Program sponsors include Jo-Ann Stores, Office Depot, Fred Meyer, Publix, and Price Less Drug Stores. Guidelines are currently available online. Applications will be available after July 15 at sponsors’ locations or online. Deadline: September 30, 2005

14. Tech. Grants for Rural Schools
The Foundation for Rural Education and Development (FRED) sponsors the Technology Grants for Rural Schools program to help meet the growing need for innovative technology in the classroom. The grants strive to help public schools in rural areas served by OPASTCO members bring modern computers to every classroom, connect schools to the information superhighway and make sure that effective and engaging software and online resources are an integral part of the school curriculum.
Deadline: September 13, 2005

15. National Geographic rural grants
The National Geographic Society provides grants of up to $500 to teachers or school administrators in a rural areas. NGS is particularly interested in supporting education on human migration in the following areas:

1.	Classroom, school, or district-wide efforts that support cultural education;
2.	Hands-on and field experiences directly involving students and teachers learning about different cultures;
3.	Projects encouraging community or cultural awareness and participation; or
4.	Professional development for teachers in cultural geography.

The Society has a special interest in supporting teachers in Idaho and Maine.
Deadline: August 15, 2005