FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MACOMB, IL, FEBRUARY 2026 – The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools (AIRSS) has completed a third statewide assessment of rural career and technical education programs (CTE) through their partnership with Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Regional Office of Education 26 called the Rural IL CTE Project. The Project was launched in 2023 to identify systemic inequities toward rural districts and to offer targeted technical assistance in response. Earlier research from this effort created the ever baseline of rural-specific data around career education, cataloging general offerings and challenges. This new report provides much needed detail to earlier findings and asks districts to elaborate on common rural issues.
The survey garnered a 74% response rate covering all regions of Illinois and all types of rural districts. The major contribution of this new survey was asking districts to identify not only the updated types of career programs they offer, but where they’re offered as well. Additionally, districts were asked to share how students were transported to CTE experiences outside of their district. Together, these data points paint an expanded and more articulate picture of the challenges rural districts face in sustaining robust career education. While on paper nearly all rural districts offer some sort of CTE, in practice those offerings are limited, logistically challenging, and not aligned to current and future labor market demands.
However, the prevailing message from rural districts themselves shared through the survey is a note of pride, perseverance, and even hope. Rural schools are deeply proud of what little they are able to offer to students currently. They expressed great levels of hard work in growing programming despite systemic inequities slowing their progress. Rural districts are very hopeful for the future of career education because of its present importance in the eyes of policymakers and practitioners alike.
This newest report provides policymakers and practitioners the data, perspectives, and narratives needed to take decisive action for growing rural CTE. Career education is not just an elective, it is core content that provides every single student the skills and capacities necessary to serve our communities, state, and nation. It is imperative that we utilize the findings from this report to ensure that the majority of Illinois’ public school districts are adequately training and empowering our future.
The complete set of data, analysis, and policy recommendations can be found in the Rural IL CTE Project’s 2026 Survey Analysis Report: The Sites and Styles of Rural Career Education. You may view the report online via the Rural IL CTE Project Portal. All are encouraged to read the report, consider its findings and discussion points, and reach out to Project Director John Glasgow with any reflections and questions: john@airssedu.org