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 »
It’s no secret that our education system is struggling to inspire and train the next generation of the American workforce, and this problem is especially pernicious for rural districts. The Rural IL CTE Project has just concluded its first year, focusing on research, showing that rural and small school districts across Illinois are struggling to
Response: Rural CTE and the “Great Misalignment” Read More »
I am a huge proponent for the power of our small towns and country places. As a product of a small town in West Central Illinois myself, I feel the struggles we have faced in a social and economic system that does not regard rural places as much more than either a backward anachronism that
Training for Rural Vitality: Reflecting on the First Year of the Rural IL CTE Project Read More »
The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools was thrilled to host members of the Rural Illinois Career & Technical Education Project Advisory Council as well as special guests from Western Illinois University and the Illinois State Board of Education for an in-person meeting to discuss new data on the status of CTE programs at
Rural CTE Council Convenes at Western Illinois University Read More »
Engaging rural schools across the state to understand their needs and experiences is the bedrock foundation of the Rural IL CTE Project. To accomplish this, the Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools (AIRSS) issued a first-take Rural IL CTE Survey. AIRSS believes strongly that the best way to advocate for rural and small schools
Assessing the State of Rural Career & Technical Education Programs Read More »
