On Beyond the Box, host Dr. Ronald G. Taylor sits down with Rusty Gordon, Director of Pupil Services at Marysville Joint Unified School District in California. Rusty oversees special education programs and student support services across the district, working closely with school leaders and curriculum teams to ensure students with exceptional needs receive equitable access to high-quality instruction.
In this conversation, Rusty shares how districts can move from fragmented “one-off” curriculum requests toward aligned systems that connect special education to core instruction. He reflects on the importance of common language, collaboration across school sites, and professional learning structures that empower teachers while maintaining instructional coherence. Rusty also discusses the leadership mindset needed to build sustainable programs that outlast individual administrators and create lasting cultural change.
Key Moments
03:15 Identifying one-off curriculum requests across special education
04:21 Aligning special education with district curriculum systems
05:39 Using data and training to strengthen implementation
06:58 Building common language across schools
09:13 Navigating unfunded mandates and shifting initiatives
10:03 Creating collaboration between special and general education
11:04 Designing PD systems teachers actually attend
12:56 Supporting compliance through shared expertise
13:47 Using real case judgments as learning tools
16:11 Serving students in their school of residence
17:51 Building site-based special education teams
20:24 Leadership impact beyond personal recognition
27:58 “To Own a Dragon” and understanding student context
Why You’ll Love This Episode
This episode explores the practical leadership required to connect special education with broader instructional systems. Rusty shares how districts can reduce fragmentation, build common language across schools, and empower educators to collaborate around student needs.
You’ll also hear powerful reflections on leadership that focuses less on personal initiatives and more on lasting impact. Rusty’s story about understanding students’ unseen challenges—and building cultures that respond with empathy and structure—offers an important reminder that instructional coherence must always center the human experience of learning.
Connect with Rusty Gordon | Director of Pupil Services
Marysville Joint Unified School District
About Beyond the Box
Beyond the Box is the podcast where district leaders share how they are customizing curriculum to better serve teachers and students, and how they are filling gaps in boxed programs to ensure alignment and consistency.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Beyond the Box for more conversations on curriculum, instruction, and equity-focused leadership.