Recorded on November 8th, 2024. In this podcast, we welcome Lisa Rahn, Chief Product Officer at eDynamic Learning, to discuss the company's impact on rural education. Lisa shares that eDynamic Learning, founded by a high school teacher in 2008, provides online career and education resources for middle and high schools. The company's digital curriculum is designed to overcome geographical and resource limitations, delivering content through district learning management systems or hosting on their...
Jan 15, 2025•30 min•Ep. 83
We interviewed Annette Logsdon-Rodriguez of Proximity Learning and discussed the teacher shortage issues within Rural Education and how companies like Proximity Learning meet these challenges through synchronous online learning. We talk about the challenges of finding qualified teachers to meet the unique needs of rural school districts, particularly in remote areas. This is particularly challenging given the curricular needs of schools around ESL, specific content areas, and ADA. We discuss the...
Oct 25, 2024•32 min•Ep. 82
In today’s episode, we interview one of our listeners and rural high school teachers, Rachael Straughn, from Russell County High School in Seale, Alabama. In this episode, Rachael shares her educational journey and narrative. Rachael talks about her childhood dream of being a broadcast meteorologist and storm chaser. She worked hard to be a chief meteorologist on television within a lake effect snow area and achieved her dream at age 25. While in that role, she hosted school learning opportuniti...
Sep 19, 2024•37 min•Ep. 81
Imagine you are in a small town, and several industries have moved out of your community. Many of your citizens have lost their jobs. What do you do now? Meet Jon Chadwell, the Executive Director of the Newport Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Jon’s community rallied together and formalized a plan to revitalize their community. The community worked together to find industries that were previously present in town. The community invested in infrastructure to make the community more market...
Aug 20, 2024•33 min•Ep. 80
In this episode of the Rural Voice, we are discussing student data privacy and best practices in technology for protecting student data. We explore the importance of protecting student data, why rural schools particularly should be focused on data protection, and ways that teachers and administrators should be thinking about data protection. We discuss the free resources provided by CoSN that teachers and administrators can use to protect data in rural schools. We also explore some of the common...
Aug 19, 2024•32 min•Ep. 79
For this episode, we interview Dr. Brian Noland, the President of East Tennessee State University (ETSU). ETSU is a rural university serving the states of Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky. ETSU is located in a mountainous area of the country and has a strong presence in these states. ETSU has a strong education program for developing Rural Southeast United States teachers. We discussed the future of rural communities and how graduates from ETSU support these communities. Dr Nola...
May 17, 2024•33 min•Ep. 78
We interviewed Dr. Casey Jakubowski about teacher retention, policy, and practice. Dr. Jakubowski shared that Appalachia extends into New York State, and we reflected on how New York has large rural communities. Much of Dr. Jakubowski's work has focused on these communities and beyond (including West Virginia). We discuss the changing trends of job availability to applicants. We discuss burnout of new rural teachers and pay disparities between urban versus suburban teaching. The revolving door o...
May 08, 2024•34 min•Ep. 77
In this episode, we discuss rural initiatives to train students in computer science. We interviewed Ms. Karen Mix, the co-director of CS4NorCal, a five-year research grant. This program creates K-12 computer science training. CS4NorCal was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program and sponsored by SSDA to support Computer Science (CS) professional learning and instruction in rural Northern California. The project is currently buildin...
Apr 16, 2024•37 min•Ep. 76
In the first episode of the new season of the Rural Voice, we talk about the research of place and process of rural education from a data-informed perspective. We discuss the role of Ground Truthing and connecting data within the domains of politics, culture, and fear of consolidation. Dr. Mitchell talks about somewhere (rural) and anywhere (urban and suburban). The politics of these are what many would expect. Somewhere, lean more conservative, and anywhere is more liberal. However, these trend...
Mar 28, 2024•53 min•Ep. 75
Dr. Valerie Rutledge, Dean of the College of Health, Education, and Professional Studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, discussed the large, diverse mix of accredited and licensure programs her college oversees. With an extensive background as an educator and administrator, Rutledge highlighted impressions from the record-setting National Forum to Advance Rural Education conference. She noted the hundreds of attendees from 48 states and abroad, representing the importance of unde...
Feb 02, 2024•5 min•Ep. 74
Mike Hines, representing business and industry, discussed new federal infrastructure funding for rural schools at the National Forum to Advance Rural Education conference. The Inflation Reduction Act's $369 billion tax credits allow non-taxable entities like schools to access cash to upgrade aging systems for energy efficiency. Hines explained how schools can leverage these funds as a down payment and use future energy savings to pay for complete infrastructure modernization without further stra...
Feb 01, 2024•7 min•Ep. 73
Dr. Melissa Seidorf, superintendent of a small, rural Arizona district, was interviewed at the National Forum to Advance Rural Education conference. Seidorf co-hosts the Rural Scoop podcast highlighting rural education issues. At the conference, she presented on overcoming leadership challenges, drawing from her upcoming book "The Resilient Rural Leader." Seidorf discussed the tight-knit, supportive nature of rural communities that actively engage with their schools. If she had a "magic wand," S...
Jan 31, 2024•8 min•Ep. 72
Julia Cunningham, the U.S. Department of Education's Director of Rural Engagement, attended the National Forum to Advance Rural Education conference to connect with rural advocates and share federal efforts like the new Career Connected High School grant program. This program funds career pathways and work-based learning to provide rural students with more local career opportunities. Cunningham noted the optimism, alignment, and collaborative spirit across the rural education community in spaces...
Jan 30, 2024•7 min•Ep. 71
Joe Sanfilippo, a superintendent from Northwest Wisconsin, keynoted the National Forum to Advance Rural Education conference. He discussed the welcoming, supportive nature of rural educators who face common challenges with small school sizes and remote locations. Sanfilippo emphasized the importance of storytelling to inform the public, combat misconceptions, and spotlight the meaningful work happening in schools today. Rather than a "magic wand" solution, he believes supporting and taking care ...
Jan 29, 2024•5 min•Ep. 70
Jerry Johnson, the Phoebe Moore Dale Distinguished Professor in Rural Education at East Carolina University, discussed the upcoming release of the 2023 "Why Rural Matters" report. This tenth edition marks the first published under the National Rural Education Association. Johnson notes how NREA has strengthened connections between researchers and practitioners to serve rural schools better. The report uses public data to highlight the top issues facing rural education in each state, informing po...
Jan 28, 2024•6 min•Ep. 69
Dr. Jason Gordon, an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, was interviewed at the National Forum to Advance Rural Education conference. Gordon discussed his former special education teacher background and current work preparing teacher candidates. He presented research on an apprenticeship model for teacher training. Gordon emphasized the importance of networking and collaboration between rural communities to share information and support each other. He designs clini...
Jan 27, 2024•7 min•Ep. 68
Christopher Ligoni, executive director of the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association, was interviewed at the National Farm to Advance Rural Education conference. He discussed innovative teaching models like Cosmos teacher sharing that help small, rural districts maximize resources. He touched on equity issues like broadband access and attracting talent to rural areas. Ligoni emphasized the importance of policymakers truly understanding the rural education experience before making decisions....
Jan 26, 2024•6 min•Ep. 67
Rural education leaders Bill Chapman and Jason Bell were interviewed at the National Forum to Advance Rural Education conference. As members of state and national rural educator associations, they value the quicker impact and tight-knit community support possible in rural schools. Chapman emphasized rural schools' vital role in expanding students' limited worldviews. If he had a "magic wand," Bell would make legislators truly understand rural challenges differ from urban ones when crafting educa...
Jan 25, 2024•7 min•Ep. 66
Josh Reese, a special education supervisor from rural Tennessee, attended the National Forum to Advance Rural Education conference seeking collaboration. Representing a small, 5,000-student district, Reese values the tight-knit community and the opportunity to empower staff to benefit students. He stressed the importance of partnerships and advocacy to align stakeholders toward progress. If Reese had a “magic wand,” he would raise expectations so students, families, and communities understand ch...
Jan 24, 2024•6 min•Ep. 65
We interview Hal Bowman, a social influencer and the author of Teach Like a Rockstar. He will speak at the Chattanooga National Forum to Advance Rural Education (NFARE) conference. In this episode, we discuss how teachers should take the perspective of a parent or grandparent in the education kids receive. Kids have access to knowledge of the internet in their pockets. Still, teachers serve an important role in navigating the information that may or may not be pertinent to the topic domains or i...
Nov 13, 2023•35 min•Ep. 63
In this episode, we interview Dr. Maria Coady, the Goodnight Distinguished Professor in Educational Equity from North Carolina State University. Dr. Coady's research examines multilingualism, multiliteracy development, bilingual education, teacher and leader education, and language policies. We discuss the current migratory patterns of immigrants to the United States, including the changing landscape of multilingual learners in rural education. Dr. Coady has noted that rural districts need more ...
Oct 24, 2023•42 min•Ep. 62
She has taught for 22 years at the Morris Area School District in West Central Minnesota. We begin the episode by discussing the importance of embedded activity by teachers where they identify with the local community. Jenny discusses how each rural community could be like a postcard where we capture the local story. Each postcard would be unique, demonstrating the simplicity of the local region. Jenny discusses the importance of relationships and how those connections impact storytelling, parti...
Oct 16, 2023•29 min•Ep. 61
In this episode, we interview Dr. April Ebbinger, a Nationally Certified School Psychologist who is the Director of Psychological and Behavioral Services for the Tennessee Department of Education. In this episode, we discussed recruitment and retention of mental health providers in rural Tennessee. One of the challenges smaller and remote school districts experience is that many healthcare providers are not attracted to these regions. To address these challenges, Dr Ebbinger is the principal inv...
Oct 09, 2023•34 min•Ep. 60
In this episode of the Rural Voice, we interview Todd Cordrey, the Superintendent of Mancos School District, about project-based learning. In School Year 2020/21, the Mancos Board of Education worked to formalize its strategic plan. Teachers and Parents identified project-based learning that would facilitate long-term learning and apply to the workforce. Cordrey highlighted the importance of student-based learning, where students facilitate active learning by finding their voice in their educati...
Sep 27, 2023•36 min•Ep. 59
S03E12 - Rural Literature as Pedagogy and Whippoorwill Award, An Interview with Drs. Chea Parton and Erika Bass. In this episode of the Rural Voice, we interview Drs. Chea Parton and Erika Bass about their work with the Whippoorwill Committee, which recognizes outstanding rural literature. The episode is organized on two themes. The first is the need for voices in rural experience. We discuss how much rural literature uses negative stereotypes to present rural voices. The Whippoorwill Award seek...
Sep 18, 2023•50 min•Ep. 58
S03E11 – the Role of HBCUs in Rural Education, an Interview with President Logan Hampton of Lane College. In this episode of the Rural Voice, we interviewed Dr. Logan Hampton President of Lane College in Jackson Tennessee. We open the discussion discussing the role of Jackson Tennessee as both a small urban and rural location. We discuss how perception of what constitutes rural versus urban can vary depending on students experience and perception. The episode shifts to discussing Lane College wh...
Aug 30, 2023•38 min•Ep. 57
Today's episode discusses a timely issue on fully funding IDEA or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Heather Zellers and Jamie Green rejoin us to discuss this very important legislation. IDEA is a law that provides free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities nationwide and ensures special education and related services to those children. The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services t...
Aug 01, 2023•28 min•Ep. 56
Packard began his career in the banking industry but soon found it was not for him. He returned to his alma mater, the University of La Verne, to obtain his teaching credential. After a short stint teaching in the Ontario-Montclair School District, he moved to Kern County, where he continued teaching, rising through the ranks, working at various schools throughout the county, and settling in Buttonwillow as Superintendent/Principal ten years ago. He is now the Superintendent of the district. Pac...
Jul 17, 2023•26 min•Ep. 55
Julia Cunningham – Director of Rural Engagement, US Department of Education. Most recently, Julia was the Deputy Director for State Engagement for The Hunt Institute. In this role, she primarily focused on overseeing relationship building, strategy, and program development in support of The Institute’s expansion into new states through the state legislators' retreat model. Prior to joining The Hunt Institute, Julia was a fifth – eighth-grade Writing teacher at American Horse School in the Oglala...
Jun 23, 2023•29 min•Ep. 54
Recognized as the NAESP Nationally Distinguished Principal and Virginia Principal of the Year, he was also honored with the VAESP School Bell Award and ASCD Virginia Impact Award. Hamish was named a Northern Virginian of the year by Northern Virginia Magazine and Principal of the Year for the online national publication – Education Dive. Prince William County Public Schools named Hamish the school division’s Principal of the Year and Hamish was recently recognized by Omega U as the Principal of ...
Jun 12, 2023•27 min•Ep. 53
