The Chronic Rural Educator Shortage and Hopeful Actions to Address It
John Glasgow, Program Director, Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools David Ardrey, Executive Director, Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools Tom Withee, Director, Goshen Consulting [...]
Read MoreThe Role and Economic Effects of Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Rural Illinois Communities
Career and Technical Education (CTE) has strong potential in rural schools to serve as a student empowerment and community revitalization powerhouse. Because of their embeddedness, [...]
Read MoreEquity in Focus: Understanding Illinois’ Evidence-Based Funding Model for Public Education
Equitable funding is a cornerstone issue for rural and small schools. Without a state education funding mechanism that accounts for their unique needs and challenges, [...]
Read MoreSummer 2025 Issue of The Prairie Career Advocate
The AIRSS team is proud to present the fourth issue of our new digital publication, The Prairie Career Advocate. This storytelling effort is part of [...]
Read MoreMeet the 2025 Illinois Rural Teachers of Distinction
Recently, the Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools launched the nomination form for our first-ever Illinois Rural Teacher of the Year Award. We were [...]
Read MoreIllinois Rural Teacher Corps Programs Build Community and Career Readiness at Spring Retreat
As all in rural education understand, there is an ongoing and pervasive shortage of educators in rural schools. Although the most recent IARSS Educator Shortage [...]
Read MoreSpring 2025 Issue of The Prairie Career Advocate
The AIRSS team is proud to present the third issue of our new digital publication, The Prairie Career Advocate. This storytelling effort is part of [...]
Read MoreAIRSS Welcomes New Partner, Kings Financial Consulting, Inc.
Thank you to Kings Financial Consulting, Inc. for your support of our mission to advocate and be the VOICE of Illinois rural and small schools! [...]
Read MoreWhy Rural America Should Lead the CTE Charge to Reimagine Schools
By Joe Brewer When Thomas bolted out of my history class to respond to an accident on a remote road in our rural community, his [...]
Read MoreWinter 2024 Issue of The Prairie Career Advocate
The AIRSS team is proud to present the second issue of our new digital publication, The Prairie Career Advocate. This storytelling effort is part of [...]
Read MoreEnding on a High Note of Advocacy: The AIRSS Board and Staff Represent Rural Illinois on the Road
The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools team, Executive Director David Ardrey, Director Hailey Winkleman, and Associate Director John Glasgow, hit the road this [...]
Read MoreStarting Ahead of the Curve: CompTIA Spark Offers Rural School Districts a Free Platform for Cutting-Edge Middle Grades Career Exploration
The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools recently co-hosted a webinar with CompTIA Spark to showcase their free platform of interactive career exploration units [...]
Read More2024 AIRSS Annual Report is Now Available
We are excited to present our 2024 Annual Report: “We Are Connected.” This report details how AIRSS has grown and become an integral part of [...]
Read MoreBunker Hill 8 – Lewis & Clark Selected for Pilot Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: TODD DUGAN 618-585-3116 BUNKER HILL, IL — Macoupin County PK-12 school district Bunker Hill CUSD 8 and their higher education partner Lewis [...]
Read MoreRASI Helps Rural Students Find Community and College Success
Starting college was difficult for me. Even though I always excelled in my small town Illinois school district, and still view myself as a lifelong [...]
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