Disappearing Rural Schools: Are We Losing a Fertile

Breeding Ground for Educational Leaders?

EDU8719 Contemporary Issues Conference

Vince O’Brien

Disappearing Rural Schools

This presentation will explore the following issues:

Changing Australian economy

Declining number of

rural schools

Rural schools are special

Challenges related to

rural schools

Educational leadership in rural schools

Preparing for Leadership

roles

The way forward

My Story

o Three years as a classroom teacher in rural schools.

o Four years as a Teaching Principal in two one-teacher schools, both now closed.

o Nine years as a Teaching Principal in a two teacher school.

o Eight years as a classroom teacher in an urban school with an enrolment of over 1000 children.

o Three years as a Behaviour Support Teacher in both small and large schools.

The Changing Australian Economy

No longer riding on the sheep’s back (Gordon, 2003).

Australia is becoming a knowledge-based economy (Australian Government, 2011).

Moving away from agriculture being the driving force of the Australian economy.

Question concerning the viability of some rural communities (Jones, 2009).

20%

80%

Total Number of

Australian Schools 2008

Enrolment less than 100

Enrolment more than 100

1814

7330

Declining Number of Rural Schools

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2009)

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2011)

Queensland

rural

57 less schools available for inexperienced future leaders.

Queensland. Department of Education and Training (2011a)

Rural Schools are Special

The decline of church goers means that schools are more of the focal point of many rural communities (Wright, 2007).

Rural schools can give people a feeling of identity and attachment (Harmon & Schafft, 2009).

Rural schools offer facilities for community meetings, celebrations and sporting events.

Teachers have little choice but to be adaptable and flexible due to isolation and distances (Halsy, 2011).

Challenges Related to Rural Schools

Recruiting and maintaining staff (Miller, Graham & Paterson, 2006).

Unwilling or unprepared teachers being thrust into leadership roles (Graham, Miller & Paterson, 2009).

The effects of personality clashes between staff or with community members can be magnified (Farmer, 2009).

Educational Leadership in Rural Schools

Seven Principles of Sustainable Leadership and how they can be implemented in a small rural school.

Hargreaves and Fink (2003)

1-4

Educational Leadership in Rural Schools

Seven Principles of Sustainable Leadership and how they can be implemented in a small rural school.

Hargreaves and Fink (2003)

5-7

Preparing for Leadership Roles

Queensland’s Approach

Workforce Capability and Performance Unit

Principal Connect Advisory Service

Mentors for first time Principals

Principal Induction and Resources website

Take The Lead project

Queensland. Department of Education and Training (2011b)

The Way Forward

Consider the lost opportunities for leaders to gain

experience in a unique environment

Make professional development mandatory for aspiring Principals.

Consider the effect on a

rural community when its

school closes.

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2009). Schools by size of student enrolments (FTE)-and school affiliation. Retrieved from

http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage?4221.02008?OpenDocument

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2011). 4221.0 - Schools, Australia: NSSC Table 30a: Non-special schools 1996-2010.

Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4221.02010?OpenDocument

Australian Government: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. (2011). Australia in brief: A stable and competitive

economy. Retrieved November 22, 2011, from http://www.dfat.gov.au/aib/competitive_economy.html

Farmer, T. (2009). Unique Rural District Politics. Rural Educator, 30(2), 29-33. Retrieved from

http://www.ruraleducator.net/archive/30-2/Farmer.pdf

Gordon J. (2003, July 16). We slid off the sheep's back, now sliding off the land, too. The Age. Retrieved from

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/15/1058035006992.html

Graham, L., Miller, J., & Paterson, D. (2009). Early career leadership opportunities in Australian rural schools. Education In

Rural Australia, 19(3), 25-34. Retrieved from

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Early+career+leadership+opportunities+in+Australian+rural+schools.-

a0219589163

Harmon, H. L., & Schafft, K. (2009). Rural School Leadership for Collaborative Community Development. Rural Educator,

30(3), 4-9.

Halsey, R John. (2011). Small schools, big future. Australian Journal Of Education, 55(1), 5-13. Retrieved from

http://research.acer.edu.au/aje/vol55/iss1/2

Hargreaves, A. & Fink, D. (2004). The seven principles of sustainable leadership. Educational Leadership, 61(7), 8-13.

Retrieved from http://www.msde.maryland.gov/NR/rdonlyres/F7D49A8D-E9D0-4C49-9DE6-

3A878BC9F1F4/18748/seven_principles.pdf

Jones, J. (2009). The development of leadership capacity through collaboration in small schools. School Leadership &

Management, 29(2), 129-156. doi:10.1080/13632430902775509

Miller, J., Graham, L., & Paterson, D. (2006). Bush tracks: viewing teachers' experiences of leadership in rural schools

through a contextual lens. Education In Rural Australia, 16(2), 31-45. Retrieved from

http://search.informit.com.au/browseJournalTitle;res=IELHSS;issn= 1036-0026

Queensland. Department of Education and Training. (2011a). Register of recent school openings, closures and name

changes. Retrieved December 17, 2011, from http://education.qld.gov.au/directory/schools/index.html

Queensland. Department of Education and Training. (2011b). School leaders. Retrieved December 26, 2011, from

http://education.qld.gov.au/staff/development/employee/school_leaders/index.html

Wright, K. (2007). Reenergizing small communities: a vital role for rural schools. The Educational Forum, 71(4), 345-360.

doi:10.1080/00131720709335024