National Rural Education Association Official Podcast

In this episode of *The Rural Voice*, Chris, Melissa, and Bill talk with Rebecca “Becca” Burnfin, a 9th–12th grade social studies teacher and PLC lead at Garden City High School in rural western Kansas. Becca shares what it means to teach in a community where students speak more than 40 languages and bring rich lived experiences shaped by immigration, rural life, global conflict, and family history. The conversation explores how high-quality instructional materials have helped her reduce planning time, keep social studies relevant beyond stale textbooks, support new and veteran teachers through PLC collaboration, and create more engaging, experiential lessons for st...

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Artificial intelligence is no longer a future issue for schools. It is already shaping how educators plan, teach, lead, and prepare students for the workforce. In this episode of The Rural Voice, Dr. Christopher Silver and Dr. Bill Chapman are joined by Dr. Beth Rabbitt, Co-Chief Executive Officer of FullScale, for a timely conversation about AI, rural education, and the future of learning. Dr. Rabbitt explains why rural schools may be positioned not as late adopters, but as potential leaders in thoughtful AI implementation. Drawing from FullScale’s national work with rural districts, she discusses how AI can expand access, bu...

This episode of The Rural Voice podcast features a conversation with Superintendent Tracy Kingsley and teacher Ashley Wood from the Newburgh R2 School District in rural Missouri, highlighting how a structured literacy coaching initiative transformed early reading outcomes in their schools. In response to post-COVID learning loss, teacher inexperience, and inconsistent literacy instruction, the district partnered with TNTP to implement a coaching model grounded in the science of reading. The approach emphasized collaboration over evaluation, with coaches working directly alongside teachers through classroom visits, modeling, and ongoing feedback. This support led to curriculum changes, stronger alignment between grade levels, and...

In this episode of The Rural Voice, Dr. Christopher Silver, Dr. Melissa Sadorf, and Dr. Bill Chapman welcome Dr. Daniel Johnson, Professor of Music and Music Education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he coordinates the graduate studies program in music education. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience teaching across the K–16 spectrum in public, independent, and community-based settings, Johnson brings both scholarly depth and practical insight to a conversation focused on rural education. A graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, the University of Arizona, and Emory University, his work spans rural music education, interdisciplinary ar...

In this episode of The Rural Voice Podcast, the conversation examines how school voucher and school choice policies affect rural communities. The hosts are joined by Dr. Preston Green, a nationally recognized scholar of education law, to explore why policies designed for large or urban districts can destabilize rural school systems. The discussion focuses on the realities of scale and context in rural education. In small, geographically dispersed districts, the loss of even a few students can lead to funding shortfalls, staffing cuts, consolidation, or school closures. The episode explores how voucher programs and charter expansion can redirect public funds...

Jeff Granrud, the NREA’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, traces his path to rural math teaching to a timely scholarship nudge from a professor during a tough first year of college, then a formative student-teaching experience under North Dakota Teacher of the Year Fred Strand. Early confidence gave way to a student-driven approach as he adapted to how learners were doing math, listened to “unsung heroes” asking for more challenging courses, and focused on making the subject exciting, whether students love it or hate it. He describes the double-edged nature of technology in rural schools. It lets him share notes and vi...

In this episode, Drs. Melissa Sadorf, Bill Chapman, and Christopher Silver discuss the upcoming NREA convention. Together, they highlight the excitement surrounding the gathering and share what they are most eager to experience, from key sessions to opportunities for professional growth. The hosts reflect on how these conventions create space for educators to step away from day-to-day fires, reconnect with colleagues, and return inspired by fresh ideas and renewed energy. The discussion also explores upcoming announcements and organizational updates that will shape the year ahead for rural education. Listeners will hear how the NREA continues to serve as both a...

In this episode of The Rural Voice, host Dr. Chris Silver welcomes listeners back with an update on the National Rural Education Association (NREA) and its exciting period of transition. Chris introduces his new leadership and co-hosts, Dr. Bill Chapman and Dr. Melissa Sadorf, both of whom bring deep experience in education and leadership. The discussion highlights the future direction of NREA, emphasizing opportunities for growth, collaboration, and stronger advocacy for rural schools and communities. Bill and Melissa share their professional backgrounds and vision for strengthening NREA’s role in supporting educators, leaders, and students in rural contexts. We thank Dr...

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...

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...

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...

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, su...

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 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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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. ...

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...

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...

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...

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 an...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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, of...

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...

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, Ke...

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 Educa...

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 sinc...

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...