Two professors from the University of Oklahoma will be working with teachers from Wood County schools over the course of the next few years to develop a coaching model for teachers in rural schools.

Dr. Brittany Hott said there is very little research information focused on rural schools, and they want to start this project with rural schools and teachers in mind.

Hott is the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education professor of special education and associate director of the Institute for Community and Society Transformation, who is leading the research.

She previously taught at Texas A&M Commerce and has worked with Dr. Tammy Willis, the director of the Wood County Special Services Arrangement, which serves special education students in Mineola, Quitman, Alba-Golden, Hawkins and Yantis.

“Often rural schools are left out of educational research, then asked to implement practices without any validation within their particular setting,” said Hott. “This is an opportunity for rural schools to be centered.”

She pointed to a major study in 2021 about education sciences that included very little information on rural schools.

Courtney Dewhirst, Ph.D., OU associate professor of early childhood education, another researcher on the project, highlighted one of the reasons rural school districts need this type of research and assistance when she mentioned the barriers to accessing resources for rural teachers and families.

“Many rural schools serve a large percentage of children who experience trauma, poverty and inequity in access to educational resources. We hope to support child and teacher well-being in these areas,” she said.

The five-year project is funded by a $3.9 million U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences grant.

They will begin meeting with Mineola teachers in grades K-5 soon and plan to spend at least 25% of their communication time with teachers in person.

Despite the best technology, Hott said, teachers need face-to-face.

“Interactive is what we know works well,” she said.

They will be seeking to find out teacher strengths and needs.

Hott noted that the rural teaching model is not broken, that rural teachers are innovative and strong.

Wood County schools are demographically similar to many communities, Hott noted, with communities coming together around the schools and many generations involved.

While they often face limited resources, they typically find ways to get what they need.

Some of the unique challenges that rural, high-needs schools experience, include geographical isolation, which makes professional development for educators more difficult and costly, and many rural teachers must serve in multiple, sometimes disparate roles, Hott said, however, these schools also have distinct strengths.

“Rural schools serve about 30% of our country’s students, and there is often a strong sense of community. There’s educator buy-in, and many rural schools act as the community hub,” she said.

The project will be refined each year as they learn more and determine what doesn’t work.

OU research scientists Robye Jackson, Ed.D. and Jacquelyn Purse are also working on the project, and additional partners include Texas State University and the Committee for Children.  

“We are so excited about this project,” Hott concluded.