Local Leadership and Quality Rural Education.

Overview & Synopsis

Theories by Sergiovanni and Vaill suggest that what a leader stands for and communicates to others is qualitatively more important than how that leader behaves, given any particular set of circumstances. Quality is the primary criteria for determining successful educational practices today as measured by the Secondary School Recognition Program's 14 success attributes and 7 success indicators. At the federal level, anti-rural bias is being corrected through the "Rural Education and Rural Family Education Policy for the 80s." The urban to rural population shift, increased pooling of rural resources, and the renewed attention that small schools are receiving from educational associations and citizens groups are trends that may influence local leadership and provide quality rural education. An agenda for facilitating local leadership and quality education in rural America is in place--the Rural Education Committee is working toward 10 initiatives outlined in the Department of Education's policy for the 80s. Those states critical of rural schools must realize that if they close their rural schools, they close their rural communities. With vision and leadership rural education can continue to successfully contribute to the values which have helped keep our nation strong. An appendix lists themes from the Rural Education Association's national rural education research agenda. (PM)