Regional Hubs
Working together to build strong and sustainable rural communities.
Rural School Collaborative “Hubs” provide a flexible and cost-effective infrastructure for the organization. The relationships between the Hubs and RSC are mutually beneficial.
RSC and its Hub partners work together by:
- sharing stories and information;
- working together on authentic projects;
- exploring funding opportunities to support rural schools and communities;
- collaborating on signature efforts like Grants in Place and Rural Teach Corps.
Hub Contact Directory
Alabama & The Black Belt
Contact: Jan Miller, University of West Alabama
Programs & Expertise:
• Black Belt Teacher Corps
• High School Teacher Cadet Program
• Doctorate in Rural Education Degree
• Grantwriting and evaluation
Appalachia: Kentucky Lead
Contact: April Miller, Morehead State University
Programs & Expertise:
• Appalachian Future Educators
• Family and grandparent engagement
• Literacy instruction
Appalachia: Tennessee Lead
Contact: Allen Pratt, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Programs & Expertise:
• STEM Education Pathway
• Grow Your Own Teacher Apprenticeship Program
• ESL/K-5 Dual certification programs
• Career and Technical Education and Job-embedded programs
Arkansas Delta
Contact: Brandon Lucius, Arkansas Teacher Corps
Programs & Expertise:
• Novice teacher recruitment & retention
• Professional learning & coaching
• Educator wellness & social-emotional learning
Arkansas Delta
Contact: Candace Williams, The Rural Community Alliance
Programs & Expertise:
• Rural organizing & community coalition building
• Youth empowerment
• Community schools
Arizona
Contact: Melissa Sadorf, Arizona Rural Schools Association & Northern Arizona University
Programs & Expertise:
• Northern Arizona University Rural School Resource Center
• Leadership development and mentoring
• Culture and Climate building
• Federal Grants Management
Driftless Region
Contact: Lindsay Hollingsworth, University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Programs & Expertise:
• Rural elementary and middle education degree
• DEI experts and initiatives
• Podcasting and technology in rural spaces
Illinois
Contact: Tammy La Prad, Monmouth College
Programs & Expertise:
• TARTANS Rural Teacher Corps
• Educational Garden & Farm
• Community engagement and relations
Illinois
Contact: Josh Gibb, Galesburg Community Foundation
Programs & Expertise:
• Community funds and local philanthropy
• Need-based community resources
• Non-profit relations
Indiana & Great Lakes
Contact: Jeremy Eltz, University of Indianapolis Center for Excellence in Leadership of Learning
Programs & Expertise:
• Rural Early College Network
• Grow Your Own Teacher Pipeline
• STEM, project-based learning, and special education supports
• Legislation and lobbying
Iowa
Contact: Jason Neises, Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
Programs & Expertise:
• Community Heart & Soul
• Grade level reading
• Brain health
• Rural equity and inclusion
Kansas
Contact: Spencer Clark, Kansas State University
Programs & Expertise:
• ED ASTRA
• Rural classroom technology initiatives
• Rural school networking
• Federal grants
Missouri Ozarks
Contact: Barri Tinkler, Missouri State University
Programs & Expertise:
• MSU Center for Rural Education
• Pathways for Paraprofessionals Registered Apprenticeship Program
• Global and Rural Education
• Community-Engaged Practice
Missouri Ozarks
Contact: Beth Hersh, Community Foundation of the Ozarks
Programs & Expertise:
• School foundations
• Youth philanthropy
• Ozarks Teacher Corps
New England
Contact: Cat Biddle, University of Maine
Programs & Expertise:
• Mental health supports and trauma-responsive approaches
• Rural and small school climate and equity issues
• Rural education research and policy
North Dakota
Contact: Mike Heilman, North Dakota Small Organized Schools
Programs & Expertise:
• Bus Driver Training Assistance
• North Dakota Center for Distance Education Courses
• Rural education policy and advocacy
Northern California
Contact: Susan Schroth, North State Together
Programs & Expertise:
• K-16 Education Collaborative
• Grantwriting and management
• Collective impact & upstream interventions
Northern California
Contact: Karen Schreder, California State University-Chico
Programs & Expertise:
• CLASS Program
• Rural student support and rural community positivity
• Eco-social justice & post-trauma responses
Northern Rockies
Contact: Leslie Cook, Teton Science Schools
Programs & Expertise:
• Place-based education
• Virtual and in-person teacher professional learning programs
• Rural school connections: locally and through the national Place Network
Pacific Northwest
Contact: Dave Dallas, Eastern Oregon University
Programs & Expertise:
• Rural, place-based teacher preparation
• Science of reading
• Virtual and hybrid programming
• Trauma-informed approaches and STEAM education
Southeast
Contact: Kristen Cuthrell, East Carolina University
Programs & Expertise:
• Justice-oriented rural educator recruitment and preparation
• Rural school counselor preparation & social-emotional health practices
• Rural education research & evaluation
Hub Stories & News
We're Proud to Announce RSC's Arkansas Delta Hub!
The Arkansas Teacher Corps and The Rural Community Alliance will serve as the leads for the hub.
We're Proud to Announce RSC's New Southeast Hub!
The East Carolina University Rural Education Institute will serve as the lead for the new hub.
Reflections from Our First Regional Hub Summit
Partners from across the nation gathered to discuss successes and next steps
Oregon Partners Travel East to Learn and Collaborate
A team from Eastern Oregon University visits Illinois and Wisconsin to meet and learn from their peers in the Regional Hub Network