National Rural Education Association Official Podcast

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 own platform for schools without one. This approach reduces the cognitive load on teachers and students, maintaining a consistent design across courses. Lisa emphasizes the importance of universal design for learning (UDL) principles, integrating multimodal content, interactive features, and flexible response options for student engagement. She also highlights CTE pathways aligned with industry certifications, enabling students to gain career-ready skills and certification opportunities before graduation. Addressing rural challenges, Lisa explains how eDynamic Learning provides instructional services with state-certified teachers for specialized courses and professional development for local educators. She stresses the significance of tailoring resources to local workforce needs and labor market trends. In discussing her personal journey, Lisa shares how her initial interest in law led her into educational publishing, where her passion for product development blossomed. Lisa Rahn is the Chief Product Officer at eDynamic Learning, where she leads the development of career and technical education digital resources that are transforming learning experiences for students across the U.S., including rural communities. With over 2 decades of experience in educational publishing, Lisa has worked to create accessible, engaging learning materials that have made a significant impact on middle and high school curricula, helping rural students discover their interests and prepare for their future careers and education. Lisa's expertise in product development and her understanding of the unique challenges rural educators and learners face help eDynamic Learning provide for their needs. Website: https://www.edynamiclearning.com/ Linked-in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisarahn/

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 variety of supports Proximity Learning provides to fill those gaps. We discussed the ways funding can be used to support these initiatives. This is an excellent podcast for administrators seeking alternative approaches to address talent management and addressing the teacher shortage. Annette Rodriguez Bio Annette Logsdon-Rodriguez joined Proximity Learning in 2022 to focus uniquely on solutions for Public Schools as the Sr. Director of School Partnerships and Sales. Annette is a PreK-16 industry executive with deep cross-functional expertise at the intersection of teaching & learning, innovative technologies and solution development. She brings a comprehensive understanding of effectively providing complex solutions to school districts supporting the combined needs of Human Resources, Curriculum and Instruction, Professional Learning, and Special Education. Prior to joining the Proximity Learning team, Annette has a breadth of experience in the Education arena. She started her career as an ESL/bilingual teacher at Kaufman ISD, a rural Texas district, and continued teaching in Texas Public Schools for 7 years. A growing passion for authentic and meaningful integration of technology in her own teaching practice launched her into leadership roles in several leading EdTech companies including Apple Computer, Teachscape and Frontline Education. She has greatly enjoyed providing and overseeing services at every level of the PreK-16 spectrum, empowering educators to prepare students for success through innovative practices, effective instruction and the ever-evolving use of technology. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/annette-logsdon-rodriguez/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/proximity-learning/mycompany/ Instagram: proximitylearning annette_rodriguez_pli X @ProxLearning @LogsdonAnnette

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 opportunities to teach students about meteorology and emergency preparedness. While teaching the evening news, Rachael also served as a substitute teacher to connect with the classroom. After achieving her life goal of being a meteorologist, she shifted her career to be a teacher. We discussed the geographical differences in rural education. Rachael talked about her experiences teaching in rural Alabama and the benefits of this experience. This episode shows the amazing job all our teachers are doing in rural education. Rachael Straughn is a chemistry teacher at Russell County High School in Seale, Alabama and a doctoral student in education leadership at Valdosta State University. She has her M.S. Ed from Utica University and her Bachelors in Meteorology from Iowa State University. She has taught middle and high school science in upstate NY and Columbus, Georgia. Before becoming a teacher, she was a broadcast meteorologist in Nebraska, South Carolina, California and upstate New York. She is happily married to her husband Corey, who serves in the US Army and they have a one year old son Milo. In her limited free time, she loves to sew, read or listen to audiobooks and she is a Jeopardy superfan! Twitter- @SchoolhouseRach TikTok- @mrs.straughn LinkedIn- Rachael Straughn

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 marketable to similar industries. They brought in new industries as well. As a manufacturing community, they shifted to invest in other industries, such as technology, by forming a tech depot. Newport shifted to having enough jobs where people from different communities now commute to Newport for their jobs. As a result, Newport has now partnered with the local school system and the local two-year college to provide training for local industry by identifying gaps in the workforce. This is a great episode for those thinking of revitalizing their economic development and employment through partnerships and grant-funded opportunities. About the guest Jon Chadwell is the Executive Director of the Newport Economic Development Commission (NEDC). The NEDC manages an economic development fund created by a one-half-cent sales tax in Newport, Arkansas. Jon has worked in local economic development for 30 years, the past 19 years in Newport. Previously, he held economic and community development roles in Blytheville, Camden and Prescott. Jon has held positions in a number of state and regional economic development groups. He is a member of Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives and a member of the International Economic Development Council. He was appointed by Governor Asa Hutchinson to the Arkansas Finance Development Authority in 2019. In addition to economic development activities, Jon has been active in facilitating adult leadership programs in Newport, Prescott and Camden. Jon has a B.A. and an M.Div. from Harding University. He is a graduate of the Community Development Institute and LeadAR. In addition, he is a Business Retention and Expansion Consultant through BRE International. Jon is also recognized by the International Economic Development Council as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD). In 2022, he was chosen as the Outstanding Economic Developer in the state of Arkansas by the Arkansas Economic Developers and Chamber Executives Association. Jon is married to Sheridan Chadwell and has two children, Calli Johnson and Jordan Chadwell. Sheridan is the Arkansas Sales Rep for the Daniel Richards Showroom and Coordinator for the Joe and Helen Harris Foundation. Calli is an insurance agent in Newport with M&P Insurance and Investment. Jordan is a computer programmer with Bass Pro in Springfield, Missouri. Jon and Sheridan really enjoy spending time with their granddaughter Olivia. Email director@newportaredc.org

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 mistakes made by users and how school systems can protect themselves from hacking and phishing attacks. This is a great episode for anyone concerned with protecting student information in their role in education. About our Guest Linnette Attai is Project Director for CoSN's Privacy and Trusted Learning Environment initiatives. As founder of the global privacy consulting firm PlayWell, LLC, Linnette provides strategic advice, training, policy development, and related guidance to a wide range of organizations. She is the author of an FTC-approved COPPA safe harbor program, and serves as virtual chief privacy officer and GDPR data protection officer to select clients. Linnette is a recognized expert in the youth and education sectors and speaks nationally on data privacy. She is a TEDx speaker and author of three books for school districts on protecting student data privacy. https://www.cosn.org/edtech-topics/student-data-privacy/ Social Media LinkedIn Twitter/X: Linnette Attai: @PlayWell_LLC CoSN: @CoSN and @CoSNTLE Privacy Survey Information: We are excited to announce the launch of our nationwide survey focused on understanding student data privacy needs in U.S. school districts. Insights of K12 district technology leaders are crucial, and we would greatly value your participation! Why participate? 1. Influence Future Resources: Your feedback will shape the development of new tools and resources. 2. Anonymity Assured: Participation is anonymous, and you can choose whether to share your name and district. 3. Impact: Contribute to a comprehensive report that will benefit school districts nationwide. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey here. Your perspective will help us make meaningful strides in student data privacy. Feel free to share this survey far and wide with other districts. You don't need to be a CoSN member to participate.

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 Noland believes that relationships are an important part of advocacy for raising awareness of the unique challenges within mountain communities. Dr. Noland believes in making a presence in these rural areas to serve this relationship focus. We discussed the importance of humility in making these relationships and meeting students and teachers where they are. We discuss some of the biggest challenges in education in the rural south. We talk about raising attainment levels. We discussed changing the perception of higher education in rural areas. For example, higher education wastes time and money indoctrinating students, and students will be hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt. Dr. Noland discusses the challenges of this narrative in helping students make the right decision for them. With all the available student funding through programs such as Tennessee Promise, students can attend college with little to no debt. One of the biggest challenges is this false narrative about college. Higher education empowers students to have greater earning power in the marketplace. ETSU is an economic driver of innovation and job creation in the rural south. ETSU is a teaching school and a medical science school. Many local residents connect with medical and educational professionals trained at ETSU. In other words, many residents connect with ETSU in many ways. We end the episode by discussing the role of ETSU Elevates, where students build a community partnership with organizations. The goal is to build student/community engagement to solve community challenges and to give back to small towns by working with community partners and meeting needs as identified by those partners. Dr. Noland shared that he and his team want students to dream big and actualize their dreams. Dr. Noland's Bio Since 2012, Dr. Brian Noland has served as the ninth president of East Tennessee State University. Before that, he led the development and implementation of higher education policy in Tennessee and West Virginia. Dr. Noland's Socials X (formally Twitter): https://x.com/ETSUPrez Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/etsuprez/ -LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-noland-etsu/ ETSU is part of Four the Future, a statewide initiative to showcase the value of a four-year degree for Tennesseans. Learn more at fourthefuturetn.com. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FourTheFutureTN/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/four-the-future-tn/ ETSU's Socials X (formally Twitter): https://x.com/etsu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/etsu/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/east-tennessee-state-university Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/easttennesseestateuniversity/ This episode is sponsored by My Credential at https://www.mycredential.com/

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 of teachers causes students not to have a permeance of personalities and connections with teachers. Interpersonal relationships between teachers and students are important to student success. We discussed some common issues facing rural education, including internet access and lack of amenities such as Starbucks as a cultural expectation of new teachers. One solution noted by Dr. Jakubowski is for rural districts to partner to address the unique challenges in rural education. We shift to discuss the rural funding in New York State. Dr. Jakubowski shares that given this perceived decrease in the number of kids in rural education states, such as New York, are starting to cut budgets for rural education. This has a direct impact on programs and teachers in these schools. We discuss how teachers hold significant responsibility for the welfare of their communities, families, and students to help students succeed. Finally, Dr. Jakubowski discusses place-based teaching as a solution to give resources to rural teaching. This helps facilitate partnerships between the teachers and the community to help students see how their education is connected to their community. These can be connected to science, history, math, and other topics. Further, he suggests we should celebrate other educational programs such as the Scouts of America, 4-H, and other programs that assist in preparing students for leadership and the workforce. Check out Dr. Jakubowski's book Getting to the Hearts of Teaching, as some of the topics discussed come from this book. Casey Jakubowski Phd founder of Dragontamer.us is the author of books on Rural Education and the teacher retention crisis. Thinking about Teaching, A cog in the machine, ang Getting to the Hearts of Teaching(EduMatch Publishing) are rural inspired and rural focused. He is the co author of Crush it from the start: 50 tips for new teachers (SchoolRubric) designed to help the educator retention crisis. A historian,,Casey wrote Rural Education history: state policy meets local implementation (Lexington) that delves into the failed school consolidation policies. His book, Minerva Conflict in the hills (Lexington) examines the history of the Post World War II centralization policy towards education. My Credential sponsors this episode at https://www.mycredential.com/

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 building a model for computer science in rural schools. Ms. Mix discusses the role of partnerships within the six counties in Northern California with professional development for teachers and generating access for teachers to attend. We discussed how the various ways this program has supported computer science programs in rural schools. We discuss how schools can find funding for these programs and how partnerships can aid resources and education. We discuss how the curriculum can be implemented at various levels and programs. Links of interest CS4NorCal Main Website - https://www.cs4norcal.org/ CS4NorCal Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CS4NorCal/ CS4NorCal Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cs4norcal/ Code.org - http://code.org CSforCA - https://csforca.org/ CS for All - https://www.csforall.org/ Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) - https://csteachers.org/ CS4NorCal Presentation - https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zvybwzYf4RiIGsfeu3R8J-T8bvcLgE4ssn_x5PWtMT0/edit#slide=id.g2b9a718b659_0_1733 Implementation Dashboard - https://lookerstudio.google.com/reporting/90b34553-bb57-4969-84fe-7af0d3a9c6e4/page/5iGTD This episode is sponsored by My Credential at https://www.mycredential.com/

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 trends in the data are not uniform. In some rural areas, some voters lean liberal, particularly for those people of color. More rural suburban locations vote more conservatively. These spaces include many small business owners. More diverse suburbs lean more liberal as well. Similarly, we are seeing a shift toward skills-based education in high schools, such as trade education (e.g., Information Technology). Thus, educational pathways should be more connected to local needs. We discussed the role of emotion and between-group conflict, such as city and rural tension, the reemergence of populism, women's rights, diversity, and others. These trends have a trickle-down influence on education. We discuss psychology's role in explaining the American shift toward being "groupy" and how it insulates us from perceived threats to our values and groups. We talk about access to resources such as money, natural resources, services, etc. This directly connects to educational offerings and how policy influences local schools, particularly concerning policy and law. From the cultural perspective, it relates to migration and the changing rural demographics. At the same time, we see a change in Hispanic populations in rural America, but African Americans also move to rural areas, including the Southeast United States. This can place a financial strain on these small communities as, in some cases, these communities are seeing an increase in migration, particularly for public schools. This will create new challenges for educators in rural education to meet the needs of these populations (e.g., ESL services). The final domain concerns the fear of consolidating small communities to merge services where rural communities may lose their identity. Dr. Mitchell suggests that these issues will play a role in rural education in the future. Much of the curriculum and policy will be related to places, resources, and job markets and how rural education changes to meet these challenges through the somewhere versus anywhere paradigm.

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 understanding widespread rural needs despite regional differences. If Rutledge had a "magic wand," she would increase rural schools' visibility and confidence while expanding opportunities and resources for rural students to unleash their potential. Dr. Rutledge can be reached at valerie-rutledge@utc.edu. Michael Crosa helps people across the US to create, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. Learn more at Chattanooga Podcast Studios dot com. He is also the head of the PodNooga Network which can be found on Instagram and Facebook at PodNooga.

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 straining budgets. The act also emphasizes job training so future workers can operate and maintain new technology. Hines invites listeners to contact the TRAIN organization to connect with him about the 48C ITC federal program supporting rural schools with major facility Michael Crosa helps people across the US to create, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. Learn more at Chattanooga Podcast Studios dot com. He is also the head of the PodNooga Network which can be found on Instagram and Facebook at PodNooga.

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," Seidorf would amplify rural voices at all levels to raise awareness that rural student needs differ from urban ones. She defines the "rural advantage" as an intimate community and family connectedness where schools are central hubs. Seidorf can be reached on Twitter @Dr_Sadorf and will retire after 13 years leading her district this summer. Michael Crosa helps people across the US to create, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. Learn more at Chattanooga Podcast Studios dot com. He is also the head of the PodNooga Network which can be found on Instagram and Facebook at PodNooga.

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 like this. If she had a "magic wand," Cunningham would ensure every rural school could become a fully-funded community school offering healthcare, food, and other wraparound supports less accessible in remote areas. People can learn more by subscribing to Cunningham's monthly Rural School and Community Updates newsletter and emailing her at Julia.Cunningham@ed.gov. Michael Crosa helps people across the US to create, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. Learn more at Chattanooga Podcast Studios dot com. He is also the head of the PodNooga Network which can be found on Instagram and Facebook at PodNooga.

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 of staff to nurture students is most impactful. Sanfilippo can be found on social media @Joe_Sanfilippo to continue the conversation about elevating rural education. Michael Crosa helps people across the US to create, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. Learn more at Chattanooga Podcast Studios dot com. He is also the head of the PodNooga Network which can be found on Instagram and Facebook at PodNooga.

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 policymakers' priorities. If he could instantly resolve one problem, Johnson would want universal recognition that rural people and places matter. He expects future data to quantify COVID-19's impacts on rural communities. Michael Crosa helps people across the US to create, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. Learn more at Chattanooga Podcast Studios dot com. He is also the head of the PodNooga Network which can be found on Instagram and Facebook at PodNooga.

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 clinical experiences to expose teaching candidates to diverse settings like urban, suburban, and rural schools. Gordon invites people to connect with him by email to learn more about UTC's teacher preparation programs. Michael Crosa helps people across the US to create, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. Learn more at Chattanooga Podcast Studios dot com. He is also the head of the PodNooga Network which can be found on Instagram and Facebook at PodNooga.

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. He believes immersive experiences in rural schools would lead to more informed, empathetic policies. Ligoni invites people to learn more at indianasmallworld.org. Michael Crosa helps people across the US to create, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. Learn more at Chattanooga Podcast Studios dot com. He is also the head of the PodNooga Network which can be found on Instagram and Facebook at PodNooga.

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 education policies. They encouraged embracing the strengths of rural schools, not just the struggles. Chapman and Bell can be followed on Twitter @Dr_Chap_PISD and @jasonbelltnto continue the rural school's conversation.

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 children's potential. He encourages interested listeners to engage actively with the welcoming attendees at the 2024 conference. Reese can be followed advocating for public education on Twitter @JoshuaReese84. Michael Crosa helps people across the US to create, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. Learn more at Chattanooga Podcast Studios dot com. He is also the head of the PodNooga Network which can be found on Instagram and Facebook at PodNooga.

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 in understanding the accuracy of the information content on the internet. Hal's work addresses school culture and its importance in creating the most effective environment for student success and teacher retention. We discuss the importance of training for teachers and how longevity is no longer an option for training teachers. We discuss how teaching is an Emotionally challenging career. It appears that six years is the window for teachers to stay. The cohosts note that many of us are called to our careers, and the attrition rate is a problem for rural educators. We discuss the importance of loving the teaching process, not just the students. Teachers should be aware of the responsibilities of the job. We discussed the importance of having a high energy level when teaching. Hal shares that he attempts to model this high energy level. Hal says we must be emotionally invested in our teaching and curriculum to engage students in the course content. Hal shares that many incoming teachers are similar to those students, particularly with issues like block scheduling. We talked about the recruitment of teachers in rural schools. We note the challenges of finding housing, regional development, broadband, and commuting as challenges we must address. We note there are many benefits to teaching in rural environments. Hal talks about the importance of work in rural schools. This is a great episode. For more information, go to the following website. https://halbowman.com/

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 resources to address these changes. Moreover, she notes that multilingual learners vary in their needs. Many multilingual learners vary in their use of language based on where they are from. Many of these families have varied experiences and need educational leaders who understand the complexities of needs based on the diverse cultures and experiences of these families. We discuss how funding has changed and impacted these rural communities. Dr. Coady has suggested that there needs to be greater professional development for teachers and administrators around multilingual education in rural education. In her work, she worked with teachers to educate beyond online education, including weekend workshops and site visits to the industry where these families work. Dr. Coady noted that, as a case study, teachers implemented community teaching. They adapted their curriculum to meet the complex needs of these families, like having students start their work at school to accommodate the completing time needs of kids helping their families. Schools also assigned experienced teachers as part of their curricular plan and included bilingual teachers in the classroom. As a result, 62% in English language arts and 85% in Mathematics on state standardized test scores. This provided a community classroom learning model. We have noted her research in the podcast and have attached links below. The first National Conference on Rural English Learner Education and Research (CREER, which means "to believe" in Spanish). A direct link is here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mariacoady_creer-ruraleducation-englishlearners-activity-7109370992442961920-vIGF and an NC State article here: https://ced.ncsu.edu/news/2023/09/15/scholars-gather-to-learn-about-rural-multilingual-learners-at-conference-on-rural-english-learner-education-and-research-creer-organized-by-goodnight-distinguished-professor-in-educational-equity-ma/ Some other links where folks can read more about rural EL students, families, and educators are in JRRE (open access) on teacher education https://jrre.psu.edu/sites/default/files/2023-03/39.01.pdf

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, particularly. We discuss how passion and little moments leave an impact on others. We discussed the great work at Minnesota Rural Education. Jenny shared her youth experience and how her education impacted her choice to become a teacher. She has always wanted to be a teacher as far back as she can remember. Her business high school education teachers impacted her choice of business education and the practical skills that come from business. As a high school student, Jenny started a school store, which is still being used today at her local school. She shares the importance of inspiring kids to find their place in education. Education is about creation, not just learning. Learning is a creative process. We are excited to have Jenny at this year's conference. Jenny's passion for education began as soon as she knew what teaching was. With her humble classroom beginnings in a spare bedroom of her childhood home, Jenny Maras vividly recalls "playing school" as a fond, youthful pastime. Early in her time as a high school student, Jenny knew business education would be her path. Jenny Maras has been a high school business teacher for 22 years. She teaches everything from introductory computer classes to advanced digital media curriculum and traditional business courses such as accounting, marketing, entrepreneurship, and personal finance. She is drawn to the practical aspects of her curriculum, pointing students to their future at every turn while emphasizing relationships and community connections in her rural community on the West Central Minnesota prairie. She was awarded the Minnesota Educator of Excellence award in 2022. She is honored and humbled to share her rural story as the 2023 National Rural Teacher of the Year. Facebook: jennifer.maras LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-maras-321ba0291 X (formerly Twitter): @MAHSbusinessED

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 investigator on a federal grant called Project RAISE. Many students have mental health challenges by age 14, and given several new challenges, such as COVID-19, students have new challenges. Her research and advocacy is to address these concerns to provide resources and networking through the grant. As professionals sign on, they are expected to stay and provide support and services within mental health. 44% of schools had no school psychologist. In other words, many students did not have access to student mental health services. The grant was designed to help address these gaps. Further, we discussed how contract agencies impact these services, including the funding approaches and how those resources are used. Dr. Ebbinger would like to see more mental health providers stay in these communities. We discussed how these resources can positively impact student learning and communities. Dr. April Ebbinger, a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, is the Director of Psychological and Behavioral Services for the Tennessee Department of Education. Additionally, she is the primary investigator on the federal grant Project RAISE to provide mental health support in rural school districts. Dr. Ebbinger has experience as a classroom teacher, school psychologist, district administrator, and higher education faculty. She has authored multiple journal articles and presented them at state and national conferences. Dr. Ebbinger serves on the Board of the Tennessee Association of School Psychologists Dyslexia Advisory Council and was the 2020 Tennessee School Psychologist of the Year.

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 education. Moreover, businesses are seeking ownership of projects. This opens the opportunity for internships for students scheduling student experiences beyond the classroom. Students were surveyed, asking them what their preferences were for career interests, and then adapted to the curriculum to meet their needs. Based on the results, the students could participate in student-based learning. As a reminder, this is occurring in rural Colorado, which made identifying expertise difficult; however, the faculty and staff stepped up to meet the needs of the students. Each curricular focus was organized into a career pathway. The school system applied for grants for staff and resources. The team focused on rigor and authenticity to ensure the program met student career needs. The goal was to give students experience with business planning and application. Students started their own businesses and even profited from the skills gained in the class. These skills were aligned with the course curriculum and outcomes. They partnered with Uncharted Learning and the Local Chamber of Commerce to help the team structure and implement this curricular approach. We discussed all the success stories of students and how using the Shark Tank model prompted students to be innovative. For more information on Todd, please go to https://www.mancosre6.edu/people/2162808/todd-cordrey

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 seeks to highlight voices that juxtapose these voices within a shared narrative of empowerment and place. We discuss how teachers and students may be unaware of the significance of raising these voices in the common marketplace of fiction and nonfiction ideas. We discuss the diversity of voices and how rural identity changes over time. We discuss the importance of ELA teachers using books from a rural source to reflect student experiences through literature. The Whippoorwill Award provides a list of books sensitive to rural experience and how such work might empower students to see themselves as writers. We also discussed ways teachers can refer students to publish their work and be considered for the Whippoorwill Award. While it is an unusually long episode, there are several themes related to diversity of voice, stigma, and raising voices that complement the Whippoorwill Committee's goals. Whippoorwill information for teachers and writers: https://whippoorwillaward.weebly.com/ Twitter: @WhippoorwillCo1 Instagram:@WhippoorwillCommittee Facebook: @WhippoorwillAwardforYALiterature Bios Chea Parton Chea Parton grew up on a farm and still considers herself a farm girl. She has been a rural student, a rural English teacher, and is currently a visiting assistant professor at Purdue University where she works with future teachers through the Transition to Teaching Program. She is passionate about rural education. Her research focuses on the personal and professional identity of rural and rural out-migrant teachers as well as rural representation in YA literature. She currently runs Literacy In Place where she seeks to catalogue rural YA books and provides teaching resources, hosts the Reading Rural YAL podcast where she gives book talks and interviews rural YA authors, and co-chairs the Whippoorwill Book Award for Rural YA Literature selection committee. Her first book Country Teachers in City Schools: The Challenge of Negotiating Identity and Place is available through Rowman & Littlefield. You can reach her at readingrural@gmail.com. Reading Rural YAL Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reading-rural-yal/id1606560033 Social handles: Twitter: @readingrural Instagram and Facebook: @literacyinplace YouTube: @readingruralyal Erika Bass Erika Bass is assistant professor of English education at University of Northern Iowa. Her research is focused on preservice teacher education, rural education, and literacies; often those three areas intersect. She truly believes place and identity are deeply connected.

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 which is a traditional black college in Tennessee. Dr Hampton discusses the demographics of the types of students who attend, offering accessibility to students who might not consider higher education. Lane is housed on a former plantation and is now an institution of higher education. This story demonstrates how spaces with a strained history can be repurposed to serve students in need. We discussed how HBCUs serve an important role in rural education. Lane has a religious affiliation, and we discuss how religion can also provide a framework for values and ethics. Dr Hampton discusses why higher education spaces can be capitalized on finding common ground for difficult conversations. He proposes that higher education should be used for hosting and facilitating difficult conversations to find common ground. In other words, let's stop focusing on the differences and find love of our fellow people. We end the episode discussing enrollment numbers nationally and locally at Lane regarding people of color and gender. Bio Logan Hampton was named 10th President of Lane College by the Lane College Board of Trustees on June 12, 2014. Dr. Hampton earned a doctorate in higher education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a master's degree in student personnel services from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., and a bachelor's degree in biology from Arkansas Tech University. Prior to coming to Lane College, Dr. Hampton served in numerous student services capacities at UALR including Vice Provost for Student Affairs. Before UALR, Hampton held positions at Texas A & M University, Texas Christian University, and the University of Central Arkansas. In addition to working as a higher education administrator, Dr. Hampton is an ordained elder in full connection of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME). He served twenty-four years as a pastor in the Arkansas Region of the First Episcopal District of the CME Church. He and his wife, Susan, are the parents of three adult children: Elise, Crystal and Logan III.

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 to almost 8 million children and youth with disabilities. Congress promised 40% of funding when it was approved but has not met that need. In other words, this is 55.5 Billion Dollars to fund IDEA fully. This money would help students with (dis)abilities and potentially free additional funds for innovation in the classroom and support other students. These funds would help educators provide early interventions to ensure all kids have an equal opportunity in education regardless of their condition. This would translate into services such as speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and mental health services. This translates into increased gains in strategic resource allocation, improved performance in the classroom, and giving students opportunities earlier to help them actualize their potential. Fully funding the 40% federal contribution to IDEA will help all students and even teachers. It has Republican and Democratic support from New York to California. Listen to this episode as we discuss the bill's details and how it will benefit local schools in rural and urban areas, including topics of local control. This is a call to action for all our listeners, educators, administrators, and parents. Please get in touch with your senators and members of Congress to support this bill. We have a huge opportunity to make a real difference, and we invite you to join the call. About our Guests. Heather Zellers is the Director of Information and Advocacy for the Rural Schools Association of New York (RSA). Heather also serves as the Chair of the National Rural Education Advocacy Consortium (NREAC), President of the National Rural Education Association (NREA) Foundation, and is a member of the NREA Executive Committee. If you are interested in reaching out to Superintendent Jaime Green at jgreen@tausd.org https://www.tausd.org/index.html

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.Packard has served the educational community on several boards, committees, and councils — Schools Legal Board of Directors, Kern County Facilities Committee, Kern County SELPA Executive Council, and as an alternate on the SISC Board. He has been a member of the executive board of the Small School Districts' Association since 2013 and served as Vice President in 2019-2020, with the main focus being Legislative Action.

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 Lakota Nation in southwestern South Dakota. After teaching, she earned her Master's in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2018, where she co-founded the Harvard Ed School Rural Educators Alliance. Julia earned her bachelor's degree in English from Fordham University in 2013.

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 the Year. Under his leadership, his elementary school was recognized as a Nationally Distinguished Title 1 School, and Hamish has since gone on to turn around one of the toughest middle schools in the state of Virginia. Mr. Brewer is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker – motivating and inspiring audiences around the world, including being recognized as a TEDx speaker. Originally from New Zealand, Hamish earned his first degree from the University of Auckland. Mr. Brewer is currently a doctoral student at Virginia Tech University. Hamish is the best-selling author of “Relentless – Disrupting The Educational Norm, published in 2019. Mr. Brewer previously served at the state level as the Federal Relations Coordinator on the Board of Directors with the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals and was a lead fellow of NAESP's Center for Innovative Leadership. He is a school turnaround and school improvement specialist, working with some of the most at-risk students in the United States.https://hamishbrewer.com/https://twitter.com/brewerhm This Episode is sponsored by My Credentialhttps://www.mycredential.com/

The Fall Creek School District was named an Innovative District in 2016 and 2017 by the International Center for Leadership in Education. Joe holds a BA in Elementary and Early Childhood Education, an MS in Educational Psychology, an MS in Educational Leadership, and a Ph.D. in Leadership, Learning, and Service. Joe co-hosts the Hacking Leadership Podcast and co-authored The Power of Branding: Telling Your School's Story, Principal Professional Development: Leading Learning in a Digital Age, and Hacking Leadership: 10 Ways Great Leaders Inspire Learning That Teachers, Students, and Parents Love. He was selected as 1 of 117 Future Ready Superintendents in 2014 and 1 of 50 Superintendents as a Personalized Learning Leader by the US Department of Education in 2016. Education Dive named Joe 1 of 5 K-12 Administrators to watch in 2018 and their National Superintendent of the Year in 2019.http://www.jsanfelippo.com/Today's episode is sponsored by my credential.

In this episode, we interview Jaime Green, Superintendent of the Trinity Alps Unified School District in rural Northern California. The county is mostly federal lands. He has served as the superintendent for the past five years. Trinity Alps sends buses an hour to an hour and a half one way. The school traveled with the LA Times to Washington DC and was impressed by how caring legislators are to issues of education and kids. Superintendent Green then shifts the interview to discuss history. He discusses the Secure Schools Act, which provides funding gained from federal lands to help fund education under the leadership of Teddy Roosevelt. Rosevelt, in partnership with the NREA (that's right, the NREA) worked to provide 25% of the wealth gained from public lands to support schools. Currently, there is a huge disparity in funding between urban and rural funding. Following later policy changes regarding the use of federal lands, the government shifted to providing an allotment of funds to support rural education about ten years ago. Then ten years ago, the government suggested that education be weaned off federal lands and allotments. Further, for school districts with large amounts with large federal land, property taxes are not sustainable to fund education. Superintendent Green approached legislators about how to find solutions to these funding issues. One proposal was for strategic resource allocation, like selective resource use to fund schools (e.g., selective cut timber). Legislators shared with Superintendent Green that they were unaware of the history of the program. If the issue is not addressed, school districts will have limited resources, if any at all. Trinity Alps Unified School District is only receiving 1/4 of the funds allocated over 15 years ago. Therefore, there is an equity gap between rural and urban areas. Many rural schools need broadband and other resources. Further, loss of further funding could result in staff and teacher cuts. Superintendent Green suggests that investing in education is investing in our future by creating taxpayers, not tax consumers, by providing quality education and rural resource to build rural communities. If you are interested in reaching out to Superintendent Jaime Green at jgreen@tausd.org https://www.tausd.org/index.html

President Boyd's BioRandy Boyd serves as President of the University of Tennessee System, which includes campuses in Chattanooga, Pulaski, and Martin; the Health Science Center in Memphis; and the Institute of Public Service. Additionally, it includes the flagship campus in Knoxville, which is also comprised of the Space Institute in Tullahoma and the statewide Institute of Agriculture. The UT System also manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory through its UT-Battelle partnership, where Boyd serves as co-chairman.In 2007, Boyd began a journey transitioning from entrepreneur and businessman to full-time public servant. Boyd is a founder and chairman of tnAchieves, a nonprofit that has helped send more than 133,000 students to community college free of tuition and fees. This success led then-Governor Bill Haslam to invite him to serve as Special Advisor on Higher Education in 2013. During his tenure, he is credited with being the architect of the Drive to 55 and the Tennessee Promise. In 2015, Gov. Haslam recruited him back to serve as Commissioner of Economic and Community Development. During his tenure, his team recruited 52,000 new jobs and $9 billion in new investment for the state. He also founded and co-chaired the governor's Rural Task Force and chaired the Governor's Workforce Sub-Cabinet.Boyd is a first-generation college graduate, earning a bachelor's degree in business with an emphasis on industrial management from UT Knoxville. He also earned a master's degree in liberal studies with a focus on foreign policy from the University of Oklahoma.

In this episode, we are joined again by our colleagues from Missouri State University and Dr. Staci Fuqua from the University of Tennessee, Martin, regarding pathways for para to professional or in Tennessee called “Grow Your Own” program. We discuss that many of the problems in education are tied to workforce needs in the community. This is about workforce development. This program is now a registered apprenticeship program in the state. The guest discusses the sustainability of the program and methods for encouraging partnerships in the community. We talked about how the teacher shortage has made a huge challenge for administrators in education. We discussed pathways to para as a method for addressing where higher education partners with paraeducators to offer a trajectory to education. Further, the hosts discuss how money was made available to help address these problems and offer solutions. We discuss how apprenticeships can serve rural education and solve on-the-ground issues. We discuss how resource-rich educational districts work with smaller districts to help facilitate these programs. The phrase of the day is “Grow your Own.” Dr. Staci Fuqua has been working in education for 28 years. She teaches at the University of Tennessee, Martin. She serves as the Director Educator Preparation Program & Accreditation, edTPA Coordinator for the Educator Preparation Program. She has been working on pathways to para to professional programs in Tennessee. Dr. Jon Turner is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Missouri State University. He is a former rural schoolteacher and administrator and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Missouri Association of Rural Education (MARE). His research focuses on the four-day school week and other innovative instructional practices in rural schools. Twitter @JonTurnerEdD Dr. Reesha Adamson is the Associate Dean of the College of Education at Missouri State University. She is a member of the faculty of the Department of Special Education. She is the Director of the Pathways for Paras Project www.pathwaysforparas.org, a federally registered apprenticeship program that helps paraeducators retain their jobs in schools while completing their teaching degrees. Twitter @Reesha123 Today is sponsored by My Credential. Check out their amazing services.

In this episode of the Rural Voice, we discuss the benefits and disadvantages of the four-day workweek in education. We revisit the research and application of the four-day workweek and considerations for teachers, administrators, and school leaders. We discuss the possibilities of using the fifth day for teacher training and productivity, including Dr. Sarah Wisdom discussing the “Monday Academy” program that provides academic intervention on the 5th day. Dr. Reesha Adamson discusses the Pathways for Paras program—which in some of the 4-day school week districts use to offer coursework for paraeducators to transition into special education teaching positions. As a group, we discussed the emergence in Missouri of an Independence School District that recently adopted the four-day week for next year, with over 14,000 students. Dr. Jon Turner is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Missouri State University. He is a former rural schoolteacher and administrator and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Missouri Association of Rural Education (MARE). His research focuses on the four-day school week and other innovative instructional practices in rural schools. Twitter @JonTurnerEdD Dr. Reesha Adamson is the Associate Dean of the College of Education at Missouri State University. She is a member of the faculty of the Department of Special Education. She is the Director of the Pathways for Paras Project www.pathwaysforparas.org, a federally registered apprenticeship program that helps paraeducators retain their jobs in schools while completing their teaching degrees. Twitter @Reesha123 Dr. Sarah Wisdom is the Superintendent of New Bloomfield Schools in central Missouri. She was the superintendent that led the transition to the four-day school week in her district. New Bloomfield has been recognized for the quality and innovations used in implementing comprehensive “5th-day strategies” in her district. New Bloomfield's “Monday Academy” uses the 5th day to provide target academic intervention for struggling students and is being replicated in numerous Missouri four-day week districts. Twitter @swisdom6

The episode is in Honor of Civic Education Week, March 6 through 10 During our interview with Jessica Culver, we discuss Civics Week and the types of programming around Civic Engagement in Rural Education. Jessica works with grades 10 through 12. The cohosts discuss how civics education has been neglected in many programs. Dr. Bigham discussed how some states have a Civics Education requirement in many states. Jessica discussed some of the programs currently going on in her school. This includes voting registration with students, volunteering by students to help with early voting initiatives in the community, and the role of student engagement in the community. Jessica has also encouraged students to volunteer in their community, including teaching assistantships for elementary students, planting flowers in community spaces, and painting buildings in disrepair. Jessica discusses how her students have gone on to visit Washington D.C. funded by sponsors. This included meeting congressmen and senators for their state and district. Some students expressed interest in working in government, including summer volunteering to assist with local government. Others former students worked in the U.S. Congress, developing further interest in going into government. Jessica discusses finding funding to give rural students trips to Washington DC as an experiential learning opportunity. Jessica shares that learning can be fun, and plenty of ways to engage students in experiential learning. Jessica Culver's Bio Jessica Culver teaches Civics/Economics and concurrent college credit history courses at Ozark High School in Ozark, Arkansas, and is in her twentieth year of teaching. She is a Bill of Rights Institute Teacher, a Fulbright Teacher for Global Classrooms, a U.S. Institute of Peace Teacher, a National Constitution Center Constitutional Fellow, an ARTeacher Fellow, a member of the Educating for American Democracy Educator Task Force, a National History Day Teacher, a Sacrifice for Freedom NHD program participant for 2023 with a student partner, an iCivics teacher, an Economics Arkansas Master Economics Teacher, a member of NCSS, a member of the ACSS (Arkansas Council for the Social Studies) Board, and a National Geographic Educator. Jessica enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, podcasts, and doing yoga. https://www.facebook.com/jessica.culver.39 Sponsors for today's episode My credential https://www.mycredential.com/ WinLearning https://www.winlearning.com/

Recorded on November 18, 2022, we debriefed following the 2022 NREA conference and all the interesting activities during the conference. We discussed attendees' experiences, including cross-political discussion on how to address challenges in rural education. We also reminded the listeners that the 2023 conference will be in Chattanooga. This episode interviewed Tim Nikolai Senior Rural Health Director for American Heart Association. We discussed how a typical vaping device pod is equivalent to 20 cigarettes. Tim discusses the various health concerns facing rural schools. For example, we discussed the connection between mental and physical health. We discussed the role of obesity and other comorbidities and how tobacco may further contribute to healthcare outcomes. We discussed how the American Heart Association partners with school districts to address health concerns, including learning opportunities for students, teachers, and staff. We also discussed school health emergencies and the current statistics related to rural communities. Further, we discussed the socio-emotional issues in rural education, including the limited resources to help for students and school districts. We explored the role of making science accessible to rural communities in a consumable way. As Tim notes, making the healthy choice the easy choice not only in our own kitchens but also for school district policy as well. Tim Nikolai is the Sr. Rural Health Director for the American Heart Association in the 13-state Midwest Region. After growing up as an “Army Brat,” he graduated from Ripon College - in rural Wisconsin - with a degree in political science and secondary education. He has been with the Association for 14+ years in a variety of roles, many of which involved collaboration with school districts. In his current role, he works with organizations that are based in – or focused on – rural communities. This includes school districts, libraries, hospitals, community health centers, local health departments, and more. His work focuses on changing policies and systems from a barrier to health into a health asset. He lives north of Milwaukee with his wife and two kids. https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothynikolai Sponsors for today's episode My credential https://www.mycredential.com/ WinLearning https://www.winlearning.com/

Mr. Alan Morgan National Rural Health AssociationAlan Morgan serves as Chief Executive Officer for the National Rural Health Association. He has more than 30 years of experience in health policy at the state and federal levels and is one of the nation's leading experts on rural health policy. Mr. Morgan served as a contributing author for the publication “Policy & Politics in Nursing and Health Care” and for the publication, “Rural Populations and Health.”  In addition, his health policy articles have been published in: The American Journal of Clinical Medicine, The Journal of Rural Health, The Journal of Cardiovascular Management, The Journal of Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, Cardiac Electrophysiology Review, and Laboratory Medicine.   Dr. Jennie McLaurin Pediatrician, Writer, and Public Health ExpertJennie is a pediatrician, writer, and public health expert with particular interests in culture, bioethics, and theology. She graduated from Salem College with a degree in chemistry. She then received an MD from Wake Forest University, an MPH from UNC-Chapel Hill, and an MA in theology and ethics from Regent College (Vancouver, BC). She has worked with marginalized and underserved communities in the US for over 30 years, caring for migrant, homeless, indigenous, and special needs populations. Nationally, she is a Senior Fellow for Public Health Integration and Innovation at the National Association of Community Health Centers. She has collaborated in programs to advance food security, reduce childhood obesity, improve immunization access, and reduce health disparities.

In this episode, we discuss what it means to be a rural teacher with the 2022 NREA National Teacher of the Year Ty White from Willcox High School in Willcox Arizona. Ty shares his experiences growing up outside of a rural copper mining town, and his experiences teaching in the farming and ranching community of Willcox, Az. Like so many people in small-town schools, Ty plays various roles – serving as the knowledge bowl coach, the mentor for the science club, the sponsor of the solar go-kart team, advisor for student research projects, the Cabinet coordinator for the Chief Science Officer program, organizes an astronomy group, and is working with another teacher to start a VEX robotics team. Join us for this discussion, and come meet Ty at the National Forum to Advance Rural Education in Green Bay! Finally, we announce the location of the 2023 NREA Conference location. Register for the convention here: https://www.nrea.net/2022-Convention-Registration Congrats to Ty White, 2022 NREA National Teacher of the Year.

In this episode of the Rural Voice, we are again joined by Dr. Lisa Costello. We discuss the changing landscape of COVID-19 and emerging viruses in the United States. We discuss data tracking approaches to determine changes in the infection rates and new challenges arising in a post-pandemic world, particularly for children, teachers, and administrators. We discuss some methods for addressing infections and protecting children from further diseases. This includes new vaccine boosters for COVID. Lisa M. Costello, MD, MPH, FAAP is a lifelong West Virginian who hails from Weirton, WV and currently resides in Morgantown, WV where she is an Assistant Professor in the Department Pediatrics at West Virginia University (WVU) and a Pediatric Hospitalist at WVU Medicine Children's Hospital. She is co-director of the Pediatrics Clerkship, leads a healthcare literacy and patient advocacy curriculum thread for the M.D. program, and is the advisor for the medical student group, Student Advocates Impacting Decision on Healthcare. Dr. Costello currently serves as the President-elect of the West Virginia State Medical Association, immediate past president of the West Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and on the Board of Directors for the WV Children's Health Insurance Program. She is a graduate of the Leadership WV Class of 2021. Dr. Costello is as an advisor to the WV Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic response, and the medical lead for the Joint Information Center within the West Virginia Joint Interagency Task Force For COVID-19. At a national level, she is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on State Government Affairs. Dr. Costello is on the Executive Council for the WVU School of Medicine Alumni Association and a past recipient of the Margaret Buchanan Cole Young Alumnus Award from the WVU Alumni Association. Her academic interests include advocacy, healthcare policy, social media, and improving communication with patients, healthcare professionals, and the public by utilizing technology and media to amplify advocacy and education. Connect with her on Twitter (@LisaCostelloWV), Facebook, and LinkedIn.

In this episode of the Rural Voice, we interview Ms. Kayleen McCabe, a collaborator and subject matter expert from HGTV. She worked on several home improvement television shows. In this episode, we discuss the role of mentoring and experiential learning and how classroom content can contribute to learning for students. She discusses her work with elementary and high schools to show how trade skills and training experience can enrich learning in the classroom. She also discusses the importance of real-world application for learning. She talks about how failure should promote understanding and be seen as a method for gaining knowledge and reflection. She discusses her upcoming plans to use augmented reality to give kids the opportunity to learn by doing in a safe environment. For more information on our guest, go to the following links: KayleenMcCabe.com NextStepsWebinars.org This episode is sponsored by https://www.mycredential.com/

In this episode of the Rural Voice, the cohosts interview Eric Sheninger, Author, thought leader, and educator, regarding technological innovation in pedagogy and the classroom. Mr. Sheninger is one of our keynote addresses at the upcoming NREA conference. Mr. Sheninger discusses the importance of capitalizing on technology through the framework of meeting kids where they are. For example, he discusses how virtual learning may work best for some children while face-to-face classroom education may be better for others. While many kids are technology savvy, others may struggle to acclimate to new technologies without the appropriate direction. The discussion further discusses social media's role in informing, educating, and sharing information. They discuss how school administrators might use such approaches to share information while being mindful of public opinion. As Eric shares, use common sense and only share what would be appropriate for your grandmother. Avoid political topics and socially sensitive issues. However, capitalizing on social media can provide a medium to share various methods of learning and teaching to help others. Therefore, using social media is important in sharing one's story. Further, they discuss the appropriateness of branding and the method for building relationships while keeping the message consistent. Sharing successes is so important, and it helps facilitate important conversations. https://ericsheninger.com/ This episode is sponsored by WinLearning.

This episode of the Rural Voice begins our series of interviews with upcoming National Rural Education Conference speakers to be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in October of 2022. We Interviewed Mr. Ben Winchester, a former guest on the podcast, regarding the changing trends in housing from urban to rural areas of the United States. They discuss the changing housing landscape and need in communities, the influx of people moving to rural America, and the potential impact on education. While the data can help track these trends, Mr. Winchester suggests that each community may have unique needs. He further indicates that housing should meet the needs of the population's specific subsegments, yet much housing development does not consider those needs. https://extension.umn.edu/contacts-community-development/ben-winchester This episode is sponsored by Win Learning

In this episode of the Rural Voice, Drs. Allen Pratt and Christopher Silver interview Dr. Lisa Costello regarding her experience and expertise on the COVID-19 Pandemic and vaccines. We discussed the impact of COVID on schools and on children. We discuss the variants and the science behind treatment and invention measures. We discuss the impact of vaccine availability, particularly for children under the age of 5 as well as the comparative approaches to addressing the Pandemic. We discuss the effects of the virus on local communities and how culture may be related to policy and practice addressing the Pandemic. We discuss how these approaches have been addressed and received within rural communities. Lisa M. Costello, MD, MPH, FAAP is a lifelong West Virginian who hails from Weirton, WV, and currently resides in Morgantown, West Virginia where she is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at West Virginia University (WVU) and a Pediatric Hospitalist at WVU Medicine Children's Hospital. She is co-director of the Pediatrics Clerkship, leads a healthcare literacy and patient advocacy curriculum thread for the M.D. program, and is the advisor for the medical student group, Student Advocates Impacting Decision on Healthcare. Dr. Costello currently serves as the President-elect of the West Virginia State Medical Association, immediate past president of the West Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and on the Board of Directors for the WV Children's Health Insurance Program. She is a graduate of the Leadership WV Class of 2021. Dr. Costello is an advisor to the WV Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic response and the medical lead for the Joint Information Center within the West Virginia Joint Interagency Task Force COVID-19. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on State Government Affairs at a national level. Dr. Costello is on the Executive Council for the WVU School of Medicine Alumni Association and a past recipient of the Margaret Buchanan Cole Young Alumnus Award from the WVU Alumni Association. Her academic interests include advocacy, healthcare policy, social media, and improving communication with patients, healthcare professionals, and the public by utilizing technology and media to amplify advocacy and education. Connect with her on Twitter (@LisaCostelloWV), Facebook, and LinkedIn. https://directory.hsc.wvu.edu/Profile/35594 https://twitter.com/lisacostellowv

The Rural Voice interviews Hall Charter is a Director at TRANSFR based in New York City, and Katelyn Cutshall is currently Vice President, Economic Development and Government Relations. We discuss the usefulness of TRANSFR VR and how the technology has advanced beyond the classroom. This technology provides simulated training and exposure for teaching various hands-on skills. This can benefit career-ready training and provides a dynamic approach for training in schools and beyond. This has been particularly useful at all levels of education, giving a safe space to simulate various skills and jobs needed in the workplace. Beyond education, the technology has been used in career training in local communities. They discuss some of the uses of the technology in rural education and development to help people see the various ways the technology can be used to simulate careers. https://www.transfrvr.com/ This episode is sponsored by WIN Learning https://www.winlearning.com/

Today's episode interviews Representative Mark White District 83 representative to the Tennessee General Assembly. Representative White serves as Chair for the Education Administration Committee and has served on several committees related to education. He is also the Director, College of Leadership and Public Service Lipscomb University. In this interview, we discuss policy, budgetary challenges, and rural Tennessee's uniqueness to meet the ever-changing challenges of rural education. We talk about how county school districts can intersect with legislation and appropriate methods for dissemination. We talk about the fiscal responsibility to new legislation and how many initiatives may lack the financial means to address. Representative White suggests funding should be weighted toward kindergarten to third grade. The hosts discuss the need for an office of rural education at the national level. Representative White proposes the need for liaisons to help address local issues on the national level to help facilitate discussion. https://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/members/H83.html This episode was sponsored by WinLearning.

In Arizona, school superintendents are elected. Superintendent Carter discusses providing services to help schools organize and fund elections. He discusses the importance of active listening to meet the needs of schools. He talks about finding a critical mass in the themes of these discussions. Once critical mass is found, partners are needed to help meet the needs of partner schools to achieve goals and overcome challenges. Further, Superintendent Carter discusses coordinating middle mile and last mile implementation to place high-speed internet in homes and schools in rural Arizona. He shared that the middle mile initiative has been completed in Yavapai county. He talks about how children had to find internet connections through businesses, parking lots, and other public spaces. They are now working to address the final mile internet for the county for underserved populations. Superintendent Carter talks about local control for initiatives and partnering with local concerns in mind. The hosts discuss the importance of collaboration in solving rural issues, such as the Rural Collaborative for professional development among different schools. We conclude by offering methods for finding additional funding that many administrators may be unaware are currently available. Tim Carter Yavapai County School Superintendent Tim was raised in southern Arizona. He graduated from Tombstone High School and attended Glendale Community College prior to receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree from Grand Canyon College and a Master of Arts in Secondary Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. Tim completed the requirement for an Arizona Superintendent Certificate at the University of Phoenix. Tim provides educational services through the Yavapai County Education Service Agency to the 25 school districts, 24 charters schools, and 101 campuses throughout the county. His agency serves schools in all fifteen counties. He strongly believes in local control, high academic standards, and fiscal accountability. Thank you to WinLearning for Sponsoring this Episode.

In this episode of the rural voice, we interview Mike Hogg and Denise Yonts regarding rural education, technology, college preparedness, and adaption to the changing COVID world. We discuss utilizing school buses for creating a mobile STEM lab for virtual learning. We discuss how they have created programs to help first-generation and low-income high school students access college, including the social and adaptation skills needed to navigate college post-high school life. We also discussed how rural education in eastern Kentucky has adapted to meet the COVID challenge, particularly given the challenges of internet access by many students. With roughly 15% of students without internet access, they discussed using school buses as mobile hotspots where students could meet in churches or public buildings to complete coursework. Superintendent Yonts discussed the importance of trauma-informed training for teachers to meet the needs of students as they return from remote learning. Mike Hogg serves as the chief operating officer for Partners for Education. Hogg has more than 20 years of experience working in public school leadership positions in Appalachian school districts, including a superintendent, assistant superintendent, and principal. Denise Yonts is superintendent for Letcher County and began her career as an Instructional Assistant at WWE, working with special education students and Kindergarteners. She taught high school English at Whitesburg High School before becoming an Assistant Principal and principal. Following consolidation, she was an Assistant Principal, and then served as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for our district. Thank you to WIN LEARNING for Sponsoring this Episode.

In this episode, we interview Rhonda "Randi" Weingarten at the National Rural Education Association Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Ms. Weingarten is most notable for her work on education advocacy and legislation. She served as a teacher from 1991 to 1997 at Clara Barton High School in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and as a lawyer for the firm of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan from 1983 to 1986. In this interview, we discuss the political divide regarding education policy for rural education, including the disconnects in rural education. Ms. Weingarten provides examples of successful grassroots campaigns for addressing rural education "kitchen table" issues in our current world. She shares these examples of how rural challenges must be met locally, not nationally. We also discussed how divergent forms of cognition are likely framing much of the political divide in the United States. This is an informative discussion regarding various methods for engaging rural communities and how we think about diversity, socio-economics, and the types of framing used to promote social and educational policy. Ms. Weingarten Twitter handle is @rweingarten Winlearning sponsored this episode

In this episode, we interview the authors of Teaching in Rural Places Thriving in Classrooms, Schools, and Communities, Drs. Amy Price Azano, Devon Brenner, and Ann Schulte regarding the changing demands of education in rural America. They discuss the importance of geography, culture, and change in rural education. They discuss the socio-economic challenges, diversity in rural education, and methods for addressing these unique populations in terms of pedagogy. Link to the book https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003106357 Dr. Amy Price Azano azano@vt.edu Social Media @ruralprof Dr. Devon Brenner dgb19@msstate.edu Social Media @devonbrenner Dr. Ann Schulte akschulte@csuchico.edu Social Media @AnnKSchulte1

In this episode, we interview Mike Lowers, Director of School Implementation at Presence Learning, discussing issues within special education, pedagogy, and IEP and speech in addressing support services. We discuss that many rural schools have limited to no resources where students might find special education programs. One issue with this is that some students may have conditions that may not impact them in the classroom but need services such as therapy. Mike suggests that teletherapy solves such problems where school districts can combine resources to help students in need. We explore the application of teletherapy to help students overcome learning and behavioral challenges. Mike suggests that there are creative and alternative solutions to help students. Capitalizing on the resources available such as remote solutions, students can access the resources needed to overcome developmental challenges. Mike will be present at the 2021 NREA conference, and we welcome questions and discussion on the topic. https://www.presencelearning.com/