Pandemic aftershocks point to need for more robust support systems in rural schools

October Scott

An interview with Rural Alliance CEO Kevin Jacka

This blog is part of a Marzano Research series where we ask experts how they would invest $10 million in rural education. Browse the full series here.

When I asked Kevin Jacka what he would do with $10 million to invest in rural education, his answer, while multifaceted, was rooted in one core issue—the need for more support systems and staffing in rural schools.

Kevin Jacka

“The first thing that came to my mind was support systems,” said Jacka. “The school districts we are working with are just really short on experts in blended learning, technology, AI, curriculum, data analysis, and behavioral management.”

As CEO of The Rural Alliance, a rural education leadership collaborative supporting P–20 outcomes for Washington’s rural students, Jacka is tapped into the voices of many rural administrators, superintendents, and principals across the state. Jacka is a valued partner supporting Marzano Research staff on projects under REL Northwest’s Washington Rural Alliance Partnership, an effort aimed at supporting several rural districts’ tech-enhanced initiatives.

Student mental health and behavioral challenges in rural schools

Jacka relayed that the lack of support expertise is felt across all areas—from student behavioral management to staff training and professional development opportunities. He said in small districts, the principal, superintendent, and special education director—if not all the same person—need to be the experts in all these areas.

According to Jacka, rural school districts need support to develop their human capital. He mentioned The Rural Alliance has been providing professional development support to district administrators in areas where districts may not have an expert. The Rural Alliance also helps schools collaborate with local mental and behavioral health centers and implement telehealth options.

“It goes beyond just needing a mental health counselor, for example,” Jacka explained. “It’s about having the expertise to create a whole plan for how they’re going to provide that support and create improvement throughout the entire district.”

Student conduct issues have spiked dramatically after the pandemic, Jacka observed.

“Behavioral problems in these schools have really been a difficult issue for rural districts coming out of COVID,” he said.

The rise in behavioral issues aligns with national trends. Research has found disruptive classroom behavior has increased since COVID-19. The prolonged social isolation of remote learning, paired with related stressors such as losing loved ones to COVID-19 or family members becoming unemployed, deeply impacted students’ emotional wellbeing and social development.

When schools reopened, students arrived with these unresolved struggles and underdeveloped social skills. Many teachers are now juggling the need to support learners academically after COVID-19 disruptions while also addressing this behavioral and mental health fallout.

In the districts The Rural Alliance partners with, Jacka said superintendents and principals have reported dealing with a handful of students exhibiting disruptive “clear-the-room” levels of behavior on any given day.

“Educators speak to seeing behavioral changes and say, ‘This is different behavior than we saw before COVID,'” said Jacka.

Supporting staff at rural schools

Jacka emphasized that supporting district staff by adding mental health training such as de-escalation and conflict resolution is crucial for creating successful learning environments.

“The social/emotional piece may be just as important for district staff as it is for students, and in many cases, it may be even more important,” he said. “The need to make paradigm shifts to educational systems in response to COVID’s effects has created numerous challenges for educators.”

However, he said simply finding and funding educational professionals to hire is the key challenge, an area where The Rural Alliance has expertise and is continuing to develop the resources to aid with the needs of rural districts.

Providing solutions to address the staffing shortages faced by rural districts—and providing adequate support to all staff—is critical. Whether it is behavioral specialists, counselors, instructional coaches, or other key positions, many rural educators and administrators are operating without adequate personnel. As schools nationwide continue grappling with aftershocks of the pandemic, students in rural communities are at a higher risk of falling through the cracks. Filling in those cracks with investment in staff and support could be the lifeline rural schools need.

Even when budgets are limited, transformative change can still happen through creativity and collaboration. Our mission at Marzano Research is to turn your education goals into reality. If your rural district is facing staffing shortages and high turnover, we have extensive experience in using data to inform actionable teacher retention and recruitment strategies tailored to your needs. This work includes our analysis on the impact of stipends on teacher retention in Colorado, our work in rural Alaska to evaluate recruitment and retention factors, and our partnership with REL Northwest to develop resources for schools to help support retention. Reach out to our rural practice leaders, Caitlin Scott or Steven Tedeschi, to learn more.

About Kevin Jacka

Having dedicated over three and a half decades to the field of rural education, Kevin Jacka has deep rural expertise and experience. He spent 18 years as a teacher and coach, followed by 12 years serving as the superintendent of a small rural school district. Additionally, he co-developed The Rural Alliance and served for five years as Executive Director before assuming his current role as CEO. Jacka has played a key role as the Lead Superintendent for the PREP Consortium and acted as a commissioner for the State Charter School Commission. His passion lies in championing small rural education systems and their students, families, and communities. The Rural Alliance, an organization that partners with over 70 small rural school districts and 53,000 students, enables Jacka to continue his mission by creating opportunities for rural students, towns, and school districts. Jacka obtained his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Eastern Washington University and earned his superintendent certification from Washington State University.