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 […]
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, and the generations of underinvestment and divestment from their communities, rural schools are left with little recourse for finding the basic funding they need to operate adequately. Rural school funding
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 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 Flora CUSD #35, to
Summer 2025 Issue of The Prairie Career Advocate Read More »
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 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 Bunker Hill CUSD 8,
Spring 2025 Issue of The Prairie Career Advocate Read More »
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
Why Rural America Should Lead the CTE Charge to Reimagine Schools Read More »
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
Winter 2024 Issue of The Prairie Career Advocate Read More »
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 student with a zeal for learning, I had no idea the initial challenges I would face. I had the opportunity to attend college in a major urban area hours and
RASI Helps Rural Students Find Community and College Success Read More »
The AIRSS team is proud to present the first-ever 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 first issue below, featuring Geneseo CUSD #228,
Introducing the Prairie Career Advocate Read More »
Guest author and veteran educator Joe Brewer shares how CTE programming improves student outcomes
A First-of-its-Kind Report on the Status and Health of Rural Illinois Career & Technical Education Programming
2024 Rural IL CTE Project Report Now Available Read More »
