Addressing the need for more rural educators

Isaiah and Melissa May grew up on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation near Globe, Arizona. They met there, got married there, and when their own seven children started going to school, the couple saw an opportunity to do more as both parents and community members: They became teachers.

“We just knew it was a right fit for us because we wanted to do something for the community,” Isaiah said. “Being an educator gives us the opportunity to use our skills to help serve our community and make a difference in the lives of the children.” 

 Rural districts face a persistent challenge in attracting and retaining educators, making the development of a locally grown workforce especially appealing. By building degree and certification pathways in collaboration with teacher preparation programs, communities can nurture future educators, such as the Mays, who not only live within the area but also understand its culture, honor its traditions and bring a deep, personal investment in their students’ success. 

The couple, who are members of the San Carlos Apache tribe, both earned their bachelor’s degrees in education through Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College in 2020. 

Since then, Melissa has been teaching third grade at Globe Elementary School. Meanwhile, Isaiah has been teaching 8th grade at San Carlos Apache School District on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation while pursuing his master’s degree in educational leadership through MLFTC. He will graduate at the end of the fall 2024 semester.

The journey

For groups such as the Arizona Rural School’s Association, which represents more than 200 rural and small districts in the state, the issue is one of equity and ensuring that students living in rural parts of the state have access to the same level of educational opportunities as those living in large metropolitan areas.

"Programs like this provide a lifeline, not just for teacher candidates but for entire communities because they ensure that talented, dedicated individuals can stay rooted in their hometowns while pursuing the training and credentials needed to lead our classrooms and schools,” said Sean Rickert, president of the Arizona Rural Schools Association.

MLFTC helps address these needs by providing professional pathways that allow teacher candidates and educator leaders to remain connected to their communities as they juggle family, work and other life obligations.

Kurt Palmer, a program manager with MLFTC who works closely with communities in eastern Arizona, guided the Mays in their career journey as the couple considered their options. Isaiah had been working in the housing management field, and Melissa formerly worked as a nursing assistant. The couple started considering becoming teachers after one of their children came home from school with a teacher recruitment flyer. A friend who works in the Globe Unified School District also encouraged them.

Palmer, who met the Mays at an outreach event, suggested they start toward their bachelor’s degrees through Gila Pueblo Community College in Globe. MLFTC partners with many community colleges throughout Arizona — particularly in rural areas — to provide a means to expand education, and MLFTC liaisons assist with assessing and matching up credit hours to ensure a seamless transfer to further undergraduate studies at ASU.

In the case of the Mays, the couple pursued their MLFTC degrees through in-person classes combined with online classes. Inspired by the needs of rural communties, this model has continued to evolve and expand as MLFTC collaborates with community colleges throughout Arizona to offer classes and degree programs through a hybrid online model that allows students the flexiblity to learn where they are. 

After earning their associate’s degree, the couple were able to earn their teacher's certificates within two years, including internships, residencies and other requirements for earning a teaching certificate — all within their community.

“Having the classes here in a rural area helped a lot because we can't attend a university away from home; we can’t leave our home,” Isaiah said. “So having the program at the community college with classes in the evening time helped. Plus, we worked full-time throughout the program.”

 Memorable teaching moments 

As of this year, more than 1,500 MLFTC students are estimated to be currently working in the communities they are from, with most of these in rural communities, according to the college’s reporting system. 

Melissa, who says that teaching has become her calling, works in a school in Globe  that includes a mix of Native American, Hispanic and white populations.

 “I find the greatest satisfaction when you see the students and their growth, and I know it almost takes a whole school year to see that, too. Starting from the beginning to the end, you build such a big connection with your students,” she said.

 “Every year, it’s really hard for me to say goodbye to students without choking up. My students from last year still come and visit me every day. I think I'm a little biased, but I think third grade is the best grade,” she said. “You become everything to your students.”

Stepping up to help their community

Isaiah, whose students are predominantly from the San Carlos Reservation, said that it’s important to help the young people of his community succeed and navigate different perspectives and approaches to life. 

“The question we face is: How are we preparing these students to live in a modern world but at the same time keep their traditional values? Outside culture tells you to put yourself first to succeed. Traditional cultural values tell you to take care of one another and serve other people first. For us, it’s finding balance in how we teach students what it means to succeed,” Isaiah said.

For Isaiah, his own answer is to take an even greater role in the education system as an administrator. While teaching, Isaiah has also beeen working on his Educational Leadership (Principalship), MEd to become a school administrator, and last year he was doing his internship at the school where he teaches.

 The program combines coursework with mentoring and an intense in-school internship to provide aspiring leaders with the skills and tools they need to work as school administrators. 

Isaiah strives to reach his own greatest potential as an educator — and shows his students what it can mean for them to succeed.

“I'm teaching where I grew up, and that’s important,” Isaiah said. “I'm making an impact in their life, and I hope to help the school system even more.”