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| ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools | |
|---|---|
| Name | ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools |
| Formation | 1983 |
| Type | Clearinghouse |
| Headquarters | Charleston, West Virginia |
| Parent organization | Educational Resources Information Center |
ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools The ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools was a United States-based information center focusing on research and resources for rural areas, small schools, and related policy and practice. Established during the late 20th century, it operated within the national network of the Institute of Education Sciences and the U.S. Department of Education, providing dissemination, synthesis, and bibliographic services to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers across Appalachia, the Great Plains, and other regions with low population density.
The clearinghouse was created in the early 1980s amid policy debates involving the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Education Amendments of 1972, and initiatives originating from the National Institute of Education and the Office of Educational Research and Improvement. Its founding paralleled efforts by the National Rural Education Association, the Rural School and Community Trust, and regional university partners including West Virginia University and Peabody College to address disparities identified by commissions such as the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education and reports produced for the Congressional Research Service. Early directors worked with scholars linked to John Goodlad, James Comer, and research centers like the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of Kansas Center for Rural Education.
The clearinghouse's mission emphasized synthesis of empirical studies, practice guides, and policy analyses relevant to geographically isolated schools, small districts, and community schooling models. It aimed to inform stakeholders such as state departments of education (e.g., Kentucky Department of Education, Texas Education Agency), national organizations like the American Association of School Administrators, and philanthropic entities including the Ford Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Scope included topics overlapping with school finance reform debates in the New Jersey Supreme Court era, teacher recruitment policies influenced by Teach For America, and place-based initiatives championed by leaders associated with the National Governors Association.
The clearinghouse produced annotated bibliographies, literature reviews, research syntheses, and practitioner briefs distributed through the ERIC database, newsletters, and conference proceedings. Signature outputs connected research from journals such as the American Educational Research Journal, Educational Researcher, and Journal of Research in Rural Education to practice in districts referenced in case studies like those in Vermont, Nebraska, and Alaska. It archived technical reports, monographs, and policy briefs used by think tanks including the Brookings Institution and academic presses like Teachers College Press.
Programs included targeted dissemination projects, grant-funded initiatives addressing teacher retention in remote settings, and pilot studies on multi-grade instruction and distance learning technologies tied to National Science Foundation grants. Initiatives also addressed issues intersecting with federal statutes such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Title I provisions under the No Child Left Behind Act. Collaborative pilots often aligned with efforts by state-level Rural Education Advisory Councils and community development projects involving the Economic Development Administration.
The clearinghouse partnered with universities, professional associations, and federal agencies. Academic partners included University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Montana, and Iowa State University; professional collaborators included the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, and the Council of Chief State School Officers. Federal collaborations involved the Office of Special Education Programs and the U.S. Census Bureau for demographic analyses. It also worked with non-profits such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation and local intermediary organizations like regional education service agencies.
Evaluations documented influence on state policy formulation, district practice changes, and research agendas addressing rural schooling inequities noted in reports by the General Accounting Office and the Government Accountability Office. Citation analyses showed integration of its syntheses into studies published by authors affiliated with University of Minnesota, Pennsylvania State University, and Columbia University Teachers College. Impact extended to curricular adaptation in small districts and informing legislative testimony before committees such as the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Organizationally, the clearinghouse operated under contract with the Institute of Education Sciences as part of the national ERIC network, employing researchers, librarians, and outreach specialists. Funding came from federal appropriations channeled through the U.S. Department of Education and supplemented by grants from entities like the Spencer Foundation and cooperative agreements with state education agencies. Administrative oversight involved university hosts and advisory boards comprising representatives from organizations including the National Association of State Boards of Education and the Rural School and Community Trust.
Category:Education research organizations