Rural Teacher Leader Network

The Rural Teacher Leader Network (RTLN) is designed to develop a sustainable network of Eastern NC rural educators who seek to improve their practice and foster community with teacher leaders from across districts. Participants will develop an equity and trauma-informed lens to guide their own advocacy efforts, strengthen their leadership skills, and build the capacity of other educators.

The RTLN was made possible through a generous grant made by the Anonymous Trust. That grant supported the inaugural cohort and will support a second cohort beginning in the Fall of 2022. The cohorts include educators from Clinton City, Duplin County, Greene County, Jones County, Onslow County, Sampson County, Lenoir County, and Wayne County schools.

Programming is facilitated by the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity in partnership with Leading EDge Learning. The plan is to expand the RTLN to other regions across the state in future years. Additional outreach and convening support is provided by the Southeast Education Alliance RESA, which includes several districts represented by educators in the Rural Teacher Leader Network.

Dudley Flood Center Launches Cohort 2

Raleigh, NC (July 22, 2022) – Last year, the Public School Forum of North Carolina convened the inaugural cohort of the Rural Teacher Leadership Network, which is designed to bring together diverse groups of educators across North Carolina who seek to strengthen their practice, foster community with teacher leaders from across other rural districts, and develop their leadership capacity to guide other teachers in their schools. The network creates a strong and lasting community of rural educators with a focus on equity, trauma-informed practice, global education, and teacher leadership.

Under the programmatic leadership of the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity (Flood Center) in partnership with Leading EDge Learning, a second cohort will be convened during the 2022-23 school year consisting of 36 teachers in seven counties. “Much like the participants from the first cohort, we look forward to the participants in this second cohort developing an equity and trauma-informed lens to guide their advocacy efforts, strengthen their leadership skills, and build the capacity of other educators to ultimately benefit every student,” said Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith the Flood Center’s Senior Director. “The teacher applicant pool was strong of the teachers who wished to participate in this opportunity.”

Contact Us

For inquiries or further information, please email rtln@ncforum.org.