Advertise on podcast: National Rural Education Association Official Podcast

Guest Biography Dr. Closson brings over two decades of experience in special education and educational leadership.  He began his career as a high school special education teacher in New York State, before continuing his work as a teacher in Tennessee.  His dedication to inclusive education led him to a district-level administrative role, where he championed equity and inclusion across schools.  Throughout his career, Dr. Closson has been a driving force behind the implementation of the co-teaching model and inclusive practices to foster collaborative environments that support diverse learners.  He strives to prepare preservice teachers to create inclusive, student-centered classrooms.  His work continues to shape the next generation of educators with a strong foundation in inclusive pedagogy.   Article Featured in the Episode Closson, C. T., & Silver, C. F. (2026). Investigating the mindset of educators regarding students with disabilities. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 10(1), 1–31.   Article: https://go.southernct.edu/jelps/files/2026-spring/8p_Investigating_the_Mindset_of_Educators.pdf Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies: https://go.southernct.edu/jelps/ Empire State University: https://www.sunyempire.edu/ IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University: https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/  National Center on Intensive Intervention: https://intensiveintervention.org/ CEEDAR Center: https://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/

We'd like to thank the Tourette Association of America for sponsoring this episode.   Guest information Brett Jennrich is the Director of Affinity Partnerships at Apollo Health Insurance. His work focuses on building partnerships with organizations such as NREA and connecting school districts with insurance education, resources, and customized benefits strategies.   Mark Gilmore is the Chief Operating Officer of Apollo Health Insurance. A former trial attorney, he joined his family’s business after more than two decades in legal practice. He helps lead Apollo’s operations and works with districts to develop sustainable insurance and employee-benefit strategies.   Relevant links Apollo’s NREA resource page: https://apollo-insurance.com/nrea/   National Rural Education Association: https://nrea.net/   NREA and Apollo partnership announcement: https://nrea.net/nrea-apollo-health-insurance-2026/   National Forum to Advance Rural Education: https://nrea.net/nfare/   Apollo’s school district contact: [email protected]

We'd like to thank the Tourette Association of America for sponsoring this episode.  The Handbook on Rural and Remote Education brings together nearly 60 contributors in 32 chapters that examine teaching, leadership, innovation, equity, rural development, and future research. Learn more about the book through ElgarOnline. Guests Dr. Jerry D. Johnson is the Phoebe Moore Dail Distinguished Professor in Rural Education, Professor of Educational Leadership, and Director of the Rural Education Institute at East Carolina University. A native of eastern Kentucky, he previously worked as a high school English teacher, principal, and research director for the Rural School and Community Trust. His work examines rural education policy, leadership, place, and the relationship between schools and communities. East Carolina University Dr. Hobart L. Harmon is the Leader of Strategic Advancement at Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8 in Pennsylvania and a Senior Research Associate in Educational Leadership at Kansas State University. His extensive career has included work in agricultural education, career and technical education, state education leadership, rural education research, and educational innovation. His work focuses on rural school leadership, collaborative partnerships, educational service agencies, and the role of schools in rural development. Kansas State University

In this episode of The Rural Voice, Dr. Melissa Sadorf, Dr. Bill Chapman, and Dr. Christopher F. Silver speak with Dr. PJ Caposey, superintendent of Oregon Community Unit School District 220, best-selling author, and upcoming keynote speaker at the National Forum to Advance Rural Education. A nationally recognized public education leader and the most published sitting superintendent in the country, Dr. Caposey reflects on the experiences that transformed his understanding of effective school leadership. Dr. Caposey discusses becoming a rural principal at age 28 and the difficult early leadership experience that forced him to reconsider an approach driven primarily by ambition, authority, and work ethic. He explains how he came to understand that leadership is fundamentally human work centered on relationships, accountability, influence, and the development of others. The conversation explores the difference between school culture and climate, the importance of building systems that can operate independently of one charismatic leader, and why rural districts should prioritize retaining and developing the educators they already have. Dr. Caposey also discusses instructional rigor, the need to measure whether programs and processes actually improve student outcomes, and the value of returning to proven educational fundamentals rather than pursuing innovation for its own sake. Drawing from his experiences, Dr. Caposey offers a candid perspective on work, purpose, self-awareness, and personal growth. The episode concludes with a compelling argument that effective rural school leaders can change not only the trajectory of their schools, but also the educational and economic future of their communities.

Official website:https://www.thomascmurray.com/ Free resources for educators and school leaders:https://www.thomascmurray.com/resources Books and publications:https://www.thomascmurray.com/books Personal & Authentic resources:https://www.thomascmurray.com/authenticedu Articles, interviews, and podcast appearances:https://www.thomascmurray.com/news Future Ready Schools:https://futureready.org/ Future Ready Schools podcast and leadership resources:https://futureready.org/podcasts/leading/ Thomas C. Murray’s All4Ed profile:https://all4ed.org/our-team/thomas-murray/

NREA 2026 Annual Report — this is the main link for the episode; NREA describes it as the organization’s first annual report. NREA Homepage — general organizational landing page, mission, updates, and member information. NREA Membership Information — useful since the episode discusses membership value, lifetime membership, institutional membership, and affiliate options. National Forum to Advance Rural Education / NFAIR — registration and information for the October 19–21, 2026 conference in San Antonio. Why Rural Matters 2025 — relevant because the episode discusses NREA’s research and national rural education data work. The Rural Educator — NREA’s peer-reviewed research journal. NREA State Affiliates — useful for listeners who want to connect at the state level. NREA Foundation — connects to the episode’s discussion of awards, scholarships, and philanthropic support.

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 students. Becca also speaks candidly about rural teacher recruitment and retention, post-COVID pressures on educators, and the importance of honoring student dignity while helping young people connect history to the world unfolding around them.

Resources: Woodward Hines Education Foundation (WHEF) and its Get2College program, @get2college on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. WHEF is on LinkedIn.  NCAN FAFSA Tracker High-School Level Data from Federal Student Aid Get2College FAFSA resources Get2College Mobile Center College & Career Readiness

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, build operational capacity, support teachers, and help students develop the adaptability needed for a rapidly changing economy. She also addresses the practical concerns educators are facing, including student data privacy, FERPA, AI misuse, teacher readiness, and the limits of generative AI. The conversation offers concrete guidance for school leaders, including the use of red-light, yellow-light, and green-light protocols for classroom AI use, the importance of district-level policy, and the value of allowing teachers to safely tinker with new tools before using them with students. Dr. Rabbitt also encourages educators to approach AI not as an expert replacement, but as a “helpful, coachable, smart, but young intern” that still requires human judgment, oversight, and ethical decision-making. This episode is especially relevant for rural educators, school administrators, district leaders, and anyone thinking about how schools can prepare students for an uncertain future while protecting the human relationships, creativity, and local wisdom that remain central to education.

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 significant gains in foundational literacy skills, including a dramatic increase in first-grade reading proficiency. District leadership played a key role by prioritizing professional development, protecting instructional time, and fostering teacher buy-in through trust and shared decision-making. The discussion also underscores the importance of family engagement, data-driven assessment, and long-term sustainability planning in small rural districts. More broadly, the episode frames literacy coaching as a scalable, high-impact strategy while raising concerns about funding, policy pressures, and the future of rural education. Bios Tracy Kingsley is the Superintendent of the Newburg R-II School District and is currently in her third year in that role. She brings 30 years of experience in public education, including 18 years as an elementary teacher, one year as a reading coach, and 11 years in administration. Her background reflects a sustained focus on literacy, instruction, and school leadership in rural education settings. Ashley Wood is a kindergarten teacher at Newburg R-II School District, currently in her second year of teaching and her second year in the kindergarten classroom. Prior to becoming a teacher, she spent two years working as an Early Childhood Special Education paraprofessional in Rolla immediately after high school. She is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and is set to graduate in May.

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 arts education, and teacher professional development. An internationally recognized authority on classroom music instruction and assessment, he has presented widely to organizations such as the National Association for Music Education, the International Society for Music Education, and the College Music Society. He is also the editor of the new two-volume publication, Music Education in Rural America, as well as other works such as Holistic Musical Thinking and Musical Explorations: Fundamentals Through Experience. The episode begins with Johnson reflecting on his early teaching experiences in rural Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, where he developed a lasting appreciation for the importance of community connection, local context, and the role of music as a vehicle for human engagement in small-town schools. These formative experiences directly inform his current work, including his latest project, a two-volume book developed in collaboration with 20 rural teachers and teacher-educators from across the country. Designed as both a policy-oriented and practice-oriented resource, the project represents one of the first comprehensive efforts to center rural music education as a distinct and valuable area of study. The conversation then turns to key themes emerging from this work, including a critique of “urban normativity,” or the assumption that urban-centered models define educational quality. Johnson argues that such assumptions can obscure the strengths of rural schools and constrain how success is understood. Instead, he advances an asset-based framework that emphasizes what rural educators and communities already do well, encouraging a shift away from deficit-oriented thinking. Throughout the episode, the group explores the realities of rural music teaching, including the demands of serving as a generalist across grade levels and content areas, as well as the professional isolation that can accompany these roles. At the same time, Johnson highlights the unique opportunities rural contexts offer, including programmatic flexibility, sustained relationships with students, and a central role in fostering community identity and engagement. The discussion also addresses interdisciplinary arts integration, emphasizing how music can be meaningfully connected to other subject areas through shared conceptual frameworks rather than being treated as a supplementary or “special” subject. The episode concludes with practical implications for educators, school leaders, and policymakers, underscoring the importance of supporting music teachers, valuing locally grounded approaches, and creating space for innovation that reflects the realities of rural communities. Overall, this conversation offers a clear and applied perspective on how music education can serve as both a pedagogical tool and a community-building force, while challenging dominant assumptions about what constitutes quality education in rural settings.

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 without equivalent accountability, alter student rights and protections, and reduce meaningful educational options for rural families. A key feature of the conversation is Dr. Green’s proposal for “education preserves,” a policy approach modeled on natural resources law that would limit or prohibit voucher and charter expansion in particularly vulnerable rural areas. The episode offers a data-informed, policy-focused discussion designed for rural educators, school board members, policymakers, and community leaders seeking a clearer understanding of what is at stake for rural schools and the communities they anchor. Guest Bio Dr. Preston Green is the John and Maria Neag (knee-ag) Professor of Urban Education at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education and a Professor of Educational Leadership and Law. He is an expert on charter schools, school vouchers, student rights, school desegregation, and school finance. Dr. Green has written five books and published extensively in law reviews and peer-reviewed education journals. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. He earned his BA in Government from the University of Virginia and his JD and EdD from Columbia University.

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 videos easily, but it also siphons students into external online college courses instead of those offered in-house. Cohorts feel familiar across decades, yet more students now insist on being heard, including quiet ones who communicate in unconventional ways. He works to give them a voice. Granrud stays rural because it is home and because he values knowing every student in a high school surrounded by corn and bean fields. His advice to new rural teachers is to immerse themselves in the community, from throwing hay in 105-degree barns to understanding harvest schedules that pull students from class, because those ties reveal the culture and shape classroom relationships. As Teacher of the Year, his platform is firm and straightforward. Make connections with students through small, authentic moments, like painting school walls alongside art classes or wearing math pajamas during homecoming, because conversations outside the desk row change everything. Asked for a single wish, he splits the difference between tools and perception. Graphing calculators for every math teacher would be great, but the bigger wish is public recognition that teaching is not a nine-month, 7:15 to 3:15 job. Summers include graduate coursework and constant reflection aimed at sharpening timing, phrasing, and practice, ensuring that students and schools keep getting better. Guest Bio Jeff Granrud is a dedicated mathematics educator with nearly three decades of teaching experience at Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Schools. A 1996 graduate of Mayville State University, Jeff went on to earn his Master of Arts in Education in 2003, further strengthening his expertise and commitment to student success. Over his 28 years at HLWW, he has built a reputation for engaging instruction, a supportive classroom environment, and a commitment to fostering both academic and personal growth in his students. Jeff’s excellence in education has been recognized through multiple awards, including the 2002 Leadership in Educational Excellence Award, the 2020 HLWW District Teacher of the Year honor, and the 2024 MREA Educator of Excellence Award. These recognitions highlight his dedication not only to his students but also to the broader educational community. Beyond the classroom, Jeff is an outdoor enthusiast who finds joy in sharing those passions with others. For more than a decade, he has led the Joe Woitalla Memorial Fishing Expo, helping take over 1,000 fourth graders fishing and inspiring a love for the outdoors. He also serves as a Minnesota DNR Hunter Safety Instructor and has coached high school sports for the past 27 years. In addition, he served 11 years with the Howard Lake Fire and Ambulance Departments, reflecting his deep commitment to service, mentorship, and leadership within his rural community.

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 professional network and a source of advocacy for educators working in a wide range of contexts and often challenging conditions. By blending personal anticipation with broader reflections on the organization's mission, the episode offers a preview not just of the event itself, but of the deeper sense of community and collaboration that defines the NFARE experience. We set the stage for what to expect at NFARE!!!!

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. Allen Pratt for his service. The cohosts shift to looking ahead and the upcoming National Forum to Advance Rural Education (NFARE) in Salt Lake City, where educators and leaders will gather to explore innovative practices, share research, and build partnerships. The conversation conveys a sense of momentum and optimism for NREA’s next chapter, underscoring the importance of strong leadership and community engagement in shaping the future of rural education.