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Much of the Northwest Region (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington) is rural in nature. A characteristic of the extractive economies such as timber, agriculture, mining, and fisheries is that they are generally located in small communities isolated by distances. While schools in these communities face the same challenges as those in other settings, geographic context matters. Rural schools share similarities with schools in metropolitan communities, but they also have many unique characteristics. By way of definition, a community is considered "rural" when it has fewer than 2,500 residents. Accordingly, 39 percent of the schools in the Northwest are rural, compared to 31 percent nationally. Sixty-nine percent of Northwest region districts are rural, compared to 56 percent nationally. In addition to population, there are other factors that distinguish rural places from each other, as well as from more urban settings. While there are challenging economic and social difficulties encountered in both rural and urban schools, it is important to use the small size and autonomy that characterize rural schools to best advantage in carrying out school improvement efforts. For more than four decades, Education Northwest has partnered with rural communities and districts in its research, development, training, and technical assistance activities. From this experience the author has distilled important lessons for working with rural schools. These lessons will benefit policymakers, researchers, and technical assistance providers who may be providing services to rural schools.

Research on the influence of instructional time on student achievement has focused on the concept of academic learning time and its major components--allocated time, engaged time, and level of difficulty. This report reviews three studies that concur that increasing allocated time, in itself, has little influence on student achievement. Walberg notes that time is only one of nine major factors affecting student achievement, and argues for the expansion of "productive time" (allocated plus engaged time) through a classroom emphasis on individual student learning differences and small-group instruction. Dewalt and Rodwell's observations in a rural elementary school and Cotton's review of research findings reinforce the necessity of employing sound teaching methods and classroom techniques in conjunction with increased allocated time. Cotton's recommendations for teachers and administrators are listed. Among 12 other related studies, 1 found a clear positive relationship between allocated time and student achievement; 4 found learning time to be a moderate predictor of school achievement; and 7 suggested that considerable increases in the amount of schooling would be required to produce even modest increases in achievement. A table lists state requirements for minimum school days and hours. (SV)

This report, which compiles the results of 89 superintendent district-level surveys and 315 building surveys, was a combined effort of the Idaho Department of Education, the Idaho Division of Vocational Education, and the Rural Education Program at Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Its purpose is to provide an initial framework for planning and policy-making in future educational technology efforts in Idaho. The three objectives of the surveys were to: (1) determine the current level of communications technology in Idaho elementary and secondary schools; (2) establish the potential and readiness for communications capability across Idaho schools; and (3) identify specific priorities of local school districts for communications technology applications in administration, staff development, and student instruction. Major findings of the study include information on computer uses in education, delivery systems, and course offerings at rural schools. The superintendents' and building survey results are discussed separately; the survey instruments themselves are appended, with responses. (DB)