White County Schools Technology Supervisor Ashley Rust has been named the Tennessee Educational Technology Association Member of the Year for Middle Tennessee.
Rust said the award is voted on by fellow technology leaders from across the region. Rust said the Association provides a network for school districts to collaborate on changing regulations and laws so no individual system has to navigate those challenges alone.
“So being named MTETA Member of the Year is very humbling because it comes directly from my peers of tech leaders across Middle Tennessee who are in the trenches doing this work every single day,” Rust said. “Many of these colleagues have served as my personal mentors.”
Rust said her daily responsibilities have shifted from basic technical support to managing the digital architecture of the entire school system. Rust said her work now focuses on district-wide cybersecurity, student data privacy, and securing grants to ensure digital equity for students in remote areas of White County.
“Years ago, educational technology was seen strictly as just tech support,” Rust said. “You called us when a printer jammed or your computer crashed. But today, technology is the core digital architecture of learning.”
Rust said her background as a middle school math teacher and instructional technology coach informs how the district vets new software and hardware. Rust said every infrastructure decision must pass a test to ensure it enhances daily instruction while maintaining a secure digital environment.
“We never bring technology into our schools just because it’s new or trendy,” Rust said. “Every program, device, or digital tool that we bring into White County, it has to answer three basic questions before we allow it in. Does it actually support learning? Does it keep student data safe? And is it financially sustainable for our community long-term?”
Rust said the technology department works directly with the curriculum and finance departments to align software with state standards and maximize the local budget. Rust said the current challenges facing the district include balancing new screen time laws and digital wellness with the responsible implementation of artificial intelligence.
“Technology is essential, but our students still need face-to-face learning,” Rust said. “So our job is setting up the right guardrails so technology supports their education without taking over their day.”
Rust said being named a finalist for the Tennessee Supervisor of the Year highlights the importance of technology professionals in the broader scope of educational success. Rust said the recognition proves that rural districts can lead the state in innovation and academic excellence.
“But that recognition of finally seeing, hey, you know, small districts can do things too and they have good leaders in their districts is something I’m very proud of,” Rust said. “But again, also, you know, technology is, technology leaders, IT leaders are always kind of in the background because we always make sure things are running in the background and we’re not really on the forefront.”
