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The 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, 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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Equity 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, 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

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Why 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 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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Horace Mann and Illinois Principals Association Announce 2024 Illinois High School Principal of the Year

Contact: Dr. Jason E. Leahy, Executive Director, Illinois Principals Association  Phone: 217-525-1383   Email: jason@ilprincipals.org Horace Mann and the Illinois Principals Association are pleased to announce that Natalie Page, principal of Sesser-Valier High School in Sesser, has been named the 2024 Illinois High School Principal of the Year. The award recognizes high school principals who have demonstrated

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As a Tennessee rural educator, I fear that school voucher expansion will hurt our children

by Dr. Allen Pratt The National Rural Education Association (NREA) advocates for equitable educational opportunities for the nearly 9 million students attending rural public schools across America. Tennessee has over 600,000 students in rural districts that are the backbone of our communities. But now our rural schools face an existential threat from school vouchers. Public rural schools

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