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/