AIRSS Team

Partnering to Power Progress Across Illinois Rural & Small Schools: AIRSS + OPTERRA

| | AIRSS News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 1, 2025 Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools Announces Premier Sponsorship with OPTERRA to Support Rural School Infrastructure and Facilities Modernization Springfield, IL – The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools (AIRSS), representing more than 500 member districts statewide, is proud to announce a new Premier Annual Sponsorship with OPTERRA […]

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The Role and Economic Effects of Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Rural Illinois Communities

| | Career and Technical Education, Shared With Us

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, rural schools have long been the foundation of their local economy and society, and CTE offers a direct tie that links school to community through student professional development. Despite this

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AIRSS Welcomes New Partner, Kings Financial Consulting, Inc.

| | AIRSS News

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! Please read their full statement below, and visit their website for more information. Kings Financial Consulting, Inc. is pleased to join the membership of the Association of Illinois Rural and

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Why Rural America Should Lead the CTE Charge to Reimagine Schools

| | Career and Technical Education, Shared With Us

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 training as a student EMT helped him turn fear into action. At just 17 years old, Thomas was the first to arrive on the scene—a heavy  responsibility for someone his

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Winter 2024 Issue of The Prairie Career Advocate

| | AIRSS News, Career and Technical Education

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 the Rural IL CTE Project that AIRSS and the Illinois State Board of Education began in 2023. We encourage you to read the issue below, featuring Reed-Custer Community Unit School

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Bunker Hill 8 – Lewis & Clark Selected for Pilot Program

| | AIRSS News

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 & Clark Community College were recently recruited to participate in the non-profit Collegiate Edu-Nation’s first National P-20 Convening in Abilene, Texas. Completely funded by a grant from the Carnegie Foundation,

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NREA Names David M. Ardrey as Interim Executive Director Effective October 1

| | AIRSS News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 1, 2024execdir@nrea.net Chattanooga, TN – The Executive Committee of the National Rural Education Association (NREA) has announced the appointment of David M. Ardrey as the Interim Executive Director of the NREA. Mr. Ardrey is currently the Executive Director of the Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools (AIRSS) and will continue in his role alongside

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