MACOMB, IL – The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools (AIRSS) has completed its initial statewide assessment of rural career and technical education programs (CTE) with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Western Illinois University Seymour Center for Rural Education. This initiative, called the Rural IL CTE Project, was launched in 2023 to identify systemic inequities toward rural districts and to offer targeted technical assistance in response. The first years and report from this effort cataloged the CTE offerings, challenges, and opportunities in the most rural and highest-need Illinois school districts. This new report greatly expanded the search to include all types of rural and small school districts in every region of the state. Although broader in focus, the goal of the effort for AIRSS and ISBE remained expanding rural student access to invaluable career education opportunities and strengthening the role and capacities of rural schools in their communities.
The expanded research captured responses from 281 rural and small school districts, covering 97% of all Illinois Counties, completing the first baseline understanding of rural CTE offerings and challenges. The report finds that a profound misalignment limits the capacity of our rural schools from fully becoming the force for student empowerment and community growth that they could be. This misalignment occurs on two levels: with communication and collaboration, and between priorities and our actions. We desire to foster robust educational experiences, but we have not ensured that the basic ingredients for student, school, and program success can occur. Instead, we find that education policies do not reflect real student and school needs, funding mechanisms at all levels are inadequate for the importance laid on college and career preparation, CTE is still relegated to an elective status and siloed from other educational activities, and the behaviors within the education system tend toward zero-sum self preservation over creative risk taking that results in stronger impact.
From this, the report offers a revised set of recommendations and a brand new rural CTE action matrix which maps out the responsibilities of all sides for ensuring rural student academic and career success. By working together, prioritizing career education, and specifically investing in rural prosperity, the lives and outcomes of countless rural students can be forever changed. Already, AIRSS and the Rural IL CTE Project is acting on these findings by publishing white papers and case studies, hosting webinars and summits, launching innovative rural CTE pilot programs, and embarking on additional rounds of detailed research.
The complete set of data, analysis, and policy recommendations can be found in the Rural IL CTE Project’s final 2025 report: Aligning Assets & Action for Rural CTE Success. You may view the report below, or via the Rural IL CTE Project Portal. All are encouraged to read the report, consider its findings and discussion points, and reach out to Project Director John Glasgow with any reflections and questions.