10/22/98
ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University's College of Education has formed a partnership with the Coalition of Rural and Appalachian Schools (CORAS) to conduct research in 110 school districts in Southeast Ohio.
The College of Education is providing $27,000 to CORAS for a year to pay a portion of the CORAS director's salary and to fund faculty-student research projects in the schools. The director will manage a research committee of CORAS and college representatives.
"This new research partnership provides a great opportunity for faculty and students at the college and faculty and personnel in the school districts to address important educational issues and produce findings that will provide the basis for well-informed decisions and policies statewide," said COE Dean James Heap. "This marks something of a new direction for the college that allows us to be involved in field-based research in the classroom."
Home schooling, the effects of the new state accountability requirements and equity of funding are among the issues that may be examined, Heap said.
A research committee of CORAS and college representatives will review and approve research proposals. The college's grants administrator will assist grant applicants in obtaining external funding for research projects.
CORAS was created during President Lyndon Johnson's administration to promote equity in funding for education, analyze policy issues, promote educational research and develop educational leadership in the 29-county area of Southeast Ohio designated as part of Appalachia by the federal government, CORAS Director Max Evans said.
"There is a lot of support for the coalition for this venture," said Evans, professor emeritus of educational administration. "It is an exciting direction in which to move."