AIRSS News

The future of our local rural classrooms just got a little brighter! On January 29th, students from across the region gathered for the inaugural meeting of the Regional Rural Future Teacher Club, marking a significant milestone in how our community cultivates the next generation of educators. This initiative is made possible by the CTE Education […]

While there are a lot of education conferences in Illinois, our event is the first one catered to the rural and small school perspective. If you are a rural educator, administrator, or CTE director, this event is designed for you! For our first conference, our topic of focus is student career success. We will explore

President Trump signed H.R. 1383, the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025, into law on December 22, 2025, after bipartisan support moved it through the House and Senate. The bill was introduced earlier this year with the goal of extending the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. Originally introduced in Congress

Thank you to OneGoal for your support of our mission to advocate and be the VOICE of Illinois rural and small schools! The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools (AIRSS) is excited to partner with this organization focused on equitable postsecondary opportunities for rural students. OneGoal is a nonprofit organization providing advising and support

This Thanksgiving season, we’re celebrating the incredible variety of CTE programs that help students build real-world skills and bright futures. We asked you to share your unique CTE program and show us what makes it special, whether it’s a classroom project, community partnership, or student success story. Let’s give thanks for hands-on learning, career exploration,

Co-authored by David Ardrey, Executive Director, Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools and Roger Eddy, Former Executive Director, Illinois Association of School Boards This series explores the critical condition of rural school infrastructure, and new infrastructure solutions made possible by a partnership between AIRSS and OPTERRA. This partnership is designed to bring unprecedented support

AIRSS Joins Hundreds of Organizations in Condemning Sweeping Cuts to the U.S. Department of Education

The Illinois Report Card is an annual report released by the Illinois State Board of Education, detailing how schools, districts, and the state as a whole are performing. Schools in the state are ranked in the following categories each year: We are excited to share that 133 rural schools received the designation of “Exemplary School”