Educational Change in Rural America. An Interim Report to the Experimental Schools Program.

Covering the first 3 years of the Experimental Schools (ES) 6-year program (begun in 1971), this interim report presents: the conceptual design of the ES program; the 10 rural project sites and the 18 comparative school districts; the educational changes proposed by the ES projects; and the comprehensive evaluation design. Data presented on the research progress suggest: (1) the ES districts are indicative of a changing rural America that is less dependent upon farming and more economically diverse; (2) factors contributing to program readiness are social forces external to the school system, recognition in the system of unmet needs, experience in Federal programs, and administrative commitment to change; (3) factors contributing to project initiation are broad-based participation and influence, independence from extensive ES influence, school district acceptance of the project, and congruence between locally identified problems and project goals; (4) factors influencing quick implementation are expanding economy; high median family income; large, homogeneous, and geographically concentrated population; easy access to urban areas; and community satisfaction with community life; (5) influential organizational characteristics are experienced faculty, strong administrative leadership, teacher/administrator readiness for change, access to new educational ideas, coordination of teacher planning activities, and past experience with systematic educational change. (JC)