𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞? 𝟏𝟒𝟗 | 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐊𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐠

𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: In this episode, Dr. Melissa Sadorf sits down with Cory Kulig to explore what it truly looks like to lead meaningful change in a rural school district. Rather than simply adopting new programs, Cory shares how thoughtful leadership decisions, community partnerships, and structural shifts have helped move his districts toward a more future-ready model. Cory discusses the urgency behind rethinking traditional education, the importance of building teacher confidence during major instructional shifts, and how competency-based learning can empower students. He also highlights the role of emerging technologies, personalized learning, and real-world application in preparing students for a rapidly changing workforce. This conversation offers practical insight for leaders navigating staffing challenges, tight budgets, and community expectations—while still keeping student ownership and engagement at the center. 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐬: 00:00 Meet Corey Kulig 02:01 Career Path and Risks 03:35 Why Incremental Change Fails 05:24 Handling Pushback and Unlearning 07:04 Student Ownership Wins 08:40 Rural Constraints to Advantages 11:32 Messaging the Why 13:24 Personalized Learning Shift 17:16 Competencies and Feedback 18:38 Supporting Teachers to Risk 21:06 Scheduling Time to Explore 22:38 Community and Employer Partners 25:41 AI and Tool Vetting 27:19 Unlocking CTE with Schedules 29:29 Standards vs Compliance 32:00 Trust and Culture Building 36:39 Budgeting for Learning Return 38:57 Evidence Beyond Test Scores 41:54 Advice for Rural Leaders 43:36 Defining Rural Advantage 45:08 Closing and Call to Action 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: Cory Kulig’s work demonstrates that meaningful school transformation doesn’t begin with programs—it begins with leadership clarity, trust, and a willingness to rethink long-standing structures. By focusing on student ownership, teacher support, and community alignment, his districts are building systems designed for the future rather than the past. For rural leaders especially, this episode is a powerful reminder: constraints can become catalysts when paired with intentional design and courageous leadership. 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 & 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞: © 2026 Melissa Sadorf / The Rural Scoop. All rights reserved. The content of The Rural Scoop, including podcast episodes, audio recordings, transcripts, show notes, graphics, and other original materials, is protected by copyright. No portion of this content may be reproduced, republished, distributed, modified, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Brief quotations or other uses may be permitted under applicable fair-use principles. For permission requests, please contact: Dr. Melissa Sadorf Email: [email protected] Phone: (520) 266-0081