DOCUMENT RESUME RC 021 369 ED 418 822 Stephens, E. Robert AUTHOR Expanding the Vision: New Roles for Educational Service TITLE Agencies in Rural School District Improvement. Appalachia Educational Lab., Charleston, WV. INSTITUTION ISBN-1-891677-00-4 ISSN 1998-00-00 PUB DATE , 170p.; Developed in cooperation with the American NOTE Association of Educational Service Agencies. The Rural Center, AEL, Inc., P.O. Box 1348, Charleston, WV AVAILABLE FROM 25325-1348 ($18.00 plus $1.80 shipping). Information Analyses (070) Books (010) PUB TYPE MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE *Educational Change; Educational Planning; Educational DESCRIPTORS Trends; Elementary Secondary Education; Institutional Characteristics; *Institutional Environment; *Intermediate Administrative Units; *Rural Education; *Rural Schools; *Scliool Districts; State School District Relationship; Strategic Planning; Tables (Data) *Capacity Building IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT This book examines the role of the educational service agency (ESA) in the process of enabling and facilitating rural school improvement. The introductory chapter discusses the continuing significance of rural education, service to rural districts as an explicit reason for establishing ESAs, and the characteristics of several types of ESAs. Chapters (1) the school improvement agenda confronting rural districts; 2-6 outline: (2) the institutional strengths and weaknesses of rural districts; (3) a (4) the current perspective on an effective rural school improvement process; ways that ESAs provide assistance to rural districts; and (5) the roles that ESAs might play in enhancing rural school improvement efforts. Three strategic goals are identified that would place ESAs in a meaningful first-line supportive role for rural school improvement. These goals are further developed in the final three chapters: (1) enhancing the institutional capacity of rural districts (access for disabled students, access for general students and adults, access to telecommunications technologies, cost-savings and related practices, comprehensive assessments); (2) enhancing the ability of rural districts and communities to engage in a school improvement process (capacity building, critical analysis of district and community, assessment of implementation plans); and (3) providing regional leadership for the advancement of education. An appendix details the planning process for rural school improvement. Contains 136 references and 25 data tables and figures. 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INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 00 00 Zr New RJleess for Educational Service Agencies n Rurallthootlistrict Improvement BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 EXPANDING THE VISION 3 EXPANDING THE VISION: NEW ROLES FOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AGENCIES IN RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT E. ROBERT STEPHENS The Rural Center at ri, Appalachia Educational Laboratory Charleston, West Virginia 4 EXPANDING THE VISION This monograph was developed in cooperation with the American Association of Educational Service Agencies AEL's mission is to link the knowledge from research with the wisdom from practice to improve teaching and learning. AEL serves as the Regional Educational Laboratory for Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. For these same four states, it operates both a Regional Technology in Education Consortium and the Eisenhower Regional Consortium for Mathematics and Science Edu- cation. In addition, it serves as the Region IV Comprehensive Techni- cal Assistance Center and operates the ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools. Information about AEL projects, programs, and services is available by writing or calling AEL. Appalachia Educational Laboratory Post Office Box 1348 Charleston, West Virginia 25325-1348 304/347-0400 800/624-9120 (toll-free) 304/347-0487 (Fax) [email protected] http://www.ael.org The Rural Center at AEL serves as the organizational home for those aspects of AEL's work that involves providing R&D-based services to rural schools and communities. This includes the National Rural Education Specialty for the nation's system of 10 Regional Educational Laboratories. The mission of the Rural Specialty is to promote the integrity of rural, small schools in a global economy. Its guiding focus is to foster the essential relationship between rural schools and their communities. AEL Is an Equal OpportunIty/Affirma5e Action Employer. iv Table of Contents List of Tables ix List of Figures xi Foreword xiii Acknowledgments xv Executive Summary xvii About the Author xxxv Chapter 1. Introduction 1 The Significance of Rural Education: One More Time 3 Serving Rural Districts One of the Primary Goals of ESAs 6 Objectives of the Paper 9 Types of State Networks of ESAs Examined 10 Chapter 2. The Rural School District Improvement Agendal3 Influence of Research on School Effectiveness 15 Expansion of the Concept of Equal Educational Opportunity 16 Ongoing National and State Policy Initiatives 18 Achievement of High Standards 18 The Push for Site-Based Management 20 Parental Involvement and Choice 21 Promotion of Education Partnerships 22 Promotion of the Use of Technology 24 Other Pressures Contributing to the Improvement Agenda 27 School as Community Learning Center 28 Use of Community to Enrich Curriculum 28 School Involvement in Community Development 29 Summary 30 6 EXPANDING THE VISION Chapter 3. A Profile of the Institutional Capacity of Rural School Districts and Rural Communities 33 Conceptualizing Institutional Capacity 34 Definition of an Indicator 35 Causal Modeling Approach Used 36 A Profile of the Institutional Capacity of Rural Districts 37 The First Dominant Feature: Their Small Enrollments 37 Other Discernable Patterns and Tendencies 40 On the Institutional Capacity of Rural Communities 42 The Prevailing Economic Condition 42 The Capacity of Rural Local Governments 50 Summary 50 Chapter 4. Ways That Educational Service Agencies Currently Assist Rural Districts 53 Programming Patterns 54 Classifying Common Programming Patterns 54 Estimating the Number of ESAs Offering Services 55 Programs Offered and Number of ESAs Engaged 55 The Impact of Current ESA Programming 58 Impact of Current Patterns on Institutional Capacity 58 Impact of Current Patterns on School Improvement Agenda 60 Chapter 5. What Educational Service Agencies Must Do in the Future: An Overview 63 Modifications in the Central Purposes of Educational Service Agencies 65 The Three Strategic Goals ESAs Should Pursue 66 Chapter 6. Strategic Goal 1: Enhancing the Institutional Capacity of Rural Districts 69 Approach Used 69 Five Core Objectives Established 69 Discussion of Core Objectives 70 Access for Disabled Students 70 Access for General Students and Adults 71 Access to Telecommunications Technologies 72 Promote Cost-Savings and Related Practices 74 Promote Comprehensive Assessments 77 7 vi E. ROBERT STEPHENS Chapter 7. Strategic Goal 2: Enhancing the Ability of Rural Districts and Communities to Engage in a School Improvement Process 79 Three Core Objectives Established 79 Discussion of Core Objectives 81 Develop Capacity-Building 81 Critical Analysis of District and Community 82 Assessment of Implementation Plans 85 Chapter 8. Strategic Goal 3: Provide Leadership for the Advancement of Education in the Region 87 Approach Used Stresses Regional, Not Rural, Focus 89 Four Core Objectives Established 90 Discussion of Core Objectives 91 Regional Communities of Learners 91 Nourish Other Support in the Region 92 Serve as an Advocate for Education 93 Serve as a Prototype Educational Organization 94 Capitalizing on the Synergistic Qualities of an ESA 95 Appendix: The Rural District School Improvement Process 97 Lessons Learned about the School Improvement Process in General 98 Lessons Learned about the Rural School Improvement Process 101 Involvement of Community 102 All Rural Districts Need Technical Assistance 104 Guidelines for Implementing a Rural District Improvement Process 109 Phase 1: Get Started 110 Phase 2: Develop Strategic Plan 111 Phase 3: Implement Action Plan 114 Phase 4: Monitor Implementation Plan 114 Phase 5: Institutionalize School Improvement Plan 114 Endnotes 115 References 119 vii List of Tables t4, Percent Rural Districts in State School Systems, 1989-90 5 1. Dominant Patterns of Types of ESAs With Regard 2. to Four Central Characteristics 8 State Systems of ESA Concentrated On in this Paper 3. 12 The Rural School District Improvement Agenda 4. 31 Rural District Enrollment Patterns, 1989-90 38 5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses in the Institutional 6. Capacity of Rural Districts Compared With Suburban and Urban Districts 41 Regional Distribution of Metro and Nonmetro 7. Counties, 1993 45 Selected Population and Education Statistics by ERS 8. Nonmetropolitan County Economic Impact Types 48 Districts, Schools, and Students: Density and Ratios 9. by ERS County Types (1989-90) 49 An Overview of Programs and Services Offered by ESAs, 10. and Estimated Number of ESAs Involved 56 Hypothesized Impact of Current ESA Programming on 11. Common Strengths and Weaknesses in Institutional Capacity of Rural Districts 59 Hypothesized Impact of Current ESA Programming for 12. Assisting Rural Districts in Their School Improvement Agenda 61 Proposed Role of ESAs in the Rural District School 13. Improvement Process 80 Recommended Content Areas to be Included in 14. Rural District Profiles 83 9 Ix EXPANDING THE VISION Common Content Areas Included in Rural Community 15. Profiles 84 National Network of Regional Educational Laboratories 16. Synthesis of Factors Promoting Innovations in Rural Districts 103 Selected Features of Northwest Regional 17. Educational Laboratory's Successful Schools Process 106 Southwest Educational Development Laboratory's School 18. Improvement Partnership Process 107 10 x