Purpose: This paper draws on research which began in 2006 with students in a graduate course on rural education. Its purpose was to find out what graduate students saw as current issues of rural education, how that compared to the literature, and what they thought supporting agencies such as government and universities needed to be doing to advance rural education. This paper focuses on presenting the findings and initiating a dialogue that leads to further conceptual understanding of ruralness. Design/methodology/approach: The inquiry design and implementation is grounded in theories of constructivism and personal practical knowledge. Findings: Some of the more common issues for participants in the study such as, curriculum delivery bussing teacher training insecurity in teacher allocations and threats of consolidation, are synonymous with the literature. The data also points to the need for research in rural schools and rural communities which is set within a rural-based theoretical framework. Research limitations/implications: The study is conducted within the context of one Canadian province using participants from one specific setting. Therefore, the findings represent a localized instance of both curriculum research and literature review. Practical implications: The study may serve to illuminate issues which can be expanded and become more global in its practicality. Originality/value: The paper provides an example of curriculum research that is founded on the work and learning experiences of students and their instructor. This knowledge can play a significant role in determining future curriculum design curriculum implementation teacher training, recruitment, and retention while enhancing community development in rural areas.