Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools
@airssedu.org
The VOICE of Illinois rural and small schools since 1987.
Join the Center on Rural Innovation on Feb 11 for their 2026 State of Rural America: Trends Shaping What’s Next, a free, one-hour webinar that examines the data behind today’s rural economy and what it signals for the year ahead. Learn more and register: bit.ly/4a0iZUg
January 30, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Join the Center on Rural Innovation on Feb 11 for their 2026 State of Rural America: Trends Shaping What’s Next, a free, one-hour webinar that examines the data behind today’s rural economy and what it signals for the year ahead. Learn more and register: bit.ly/4a0iZUg
🚨 Grant-Funded Summer & School Year Opportunities for Rural Communities! 🚨
📅 Webinar Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
⏰ Time: 11 AM ET / 10 AM CT / 9 AM MT / 8 AM PT
🔗 Register now to secure your spot: forms.gle/TDDSMTDPeuGJ...
📅 Webinar Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
⏰ Time: 11 AM ET / 10 AM CT / 9 AM MT / 8 AM PT
🔗 Register now to secure your spot: forms.gle/TDDSMTDPeuGJ...
January 29, 2026 at 6:01 PM
🚨 Grant-Funded Summer & School Year Opportunities for Rural Communities! 🚨
📅 Webinar Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
⏰ Time: 11 AM ET / 10 AM CT / 9 AM MT / 8 AM PT
🔗 Register now to secure your spot: forms.gle/TDDSMTDPeuGJ...
📅 Webinar Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026
⏰ Time: 11 AM ET / 10 AM CT / 9 AM MT / 8 AM PT
🔗 Register now to secure your spot: forms.gle/TDDSMTDPeuGJ...
We are excited to announce that Christian Jackson, CEO of Edapt, will be joining us for a Keynote and Workshop! 🤩 You won't want to miss this exploration into emerging technologies.
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
January 28, 2026 at 10:01 PM
We are excited to announce that Christian Jackson, CEO of Edapt, will be joining us for a Keynote and Workshop! 🤩 You won't want to miss this exploration into emerging technologies.
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
Join us for the first-ever AIRSS conference! 🤩 We will meet April 17 at Richland Community College in Decatur, and online.
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
January 27, 2026 at 11:58 PM
Join us for the first-ever AIRSS conference! 🤩 We will meet April 17 at Richland Community College in Decatur, and online.
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
The AIRSS Rural IL CTE Project team recently participated in a workshop for Ag educators with the Illinois Learning Technology Center at ROE #28 in Atkinson. This workshop is an early step effort in expanding access to critical career skills for students. Learn more:
airssedu.org/post/growing...
airssedu.org/post/growing...
Growing Rural Computer Science Lessons through Ag Education - The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools
Rural and small school districts have an incredible opportunity to leverage their agriculture classes to offer invaluable career skill development for all students. The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools Rural IL CTE Project team recently explored this opportunity through a workshop for Ag educators with the Illinois Learning Technology Center (LTC) at Regional
airssedu.org
January 26, 2026 at 5:00 PM
The AIRSS Rural IL CTE Project team recently participated in a workshop for Ag educators with the Illinois Learning Technology Center at ROE #28 in Atkinson. This workshop is an early step effort in expanding access to critical career skills for students. Learn more:
airssedu.org/post/growing...
airssedu.org/post/growing...
Join us for the first-ever AIRSS conference! 🤩 We will meet April 17 at Richland Community College in Decatur, and online.
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
January 23, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Join us for the first-ever AIRSS conference! 🤩 We will meet April 17 at Richland Community College in Decatur, and online.
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
In this interactive webinar with the Learning Technology Center, we’ll show you how to introduce students to sensory computing using the micro:bit. Join us on March 5 to see how physical computing prepares your students for a future driven by innovation: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
January 22, 2026 at 4:02 PM
In this interactive webinar with the Learning Technology Center, we’ll show you how to introduce students to sensory computing using the micro:bit. Join us on March 5 to see how physical computing prepares your students for a future driven by innovation: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Registration is now open for the first-ever AIRSS conference! 🤩 Join us April 17 at Richland Community College in Decatur, or online.
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
January 21, 2026 at 10:00 PM
Registration is now open for the first-ever AIRSS conference! 🤩 Join us April 17 at Richland Community College in Decatur, or online.
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
Register now: airsscon2026.eventbrite.com
Sponsor opportunities: airsscon26sponsors.eventbrite.com
The BWSI Saturday Program is a FREE educational initiative to engage high school students in STEM through immersive, project-based learning experiences. The application for the Spring program is now open! Learn more and register by February 20: mit-bwsi.formstack.com/forms/bwsi_s...
January 20, 2026 at 10:00 PM
The BWSI Saturday Program is a FREE educational initiative to engage high school students in STEM through immersive, project-based learning experiences. The application for the Spring program is now open! Learn more and register by February 20: mit-bwsi.formstack.com/forms/bwsi_s...
In case you missed our last CTE webinar, the recording is now available! You can view this and all of our other recordings on our website: airssedu.org/cte/webinars/
January 19, 2026 at 4:00 PM
In case you missed our last CTE webinar, the recording is now available! You can view this and all of our other recordings on our website: airssedu.org/cte/webinars/
Reminder: AIRSS is now seeking partners for our first-ever conference this spring! Learn more in this sponsorship sheet: airssedu.org/wp-content/u...
January 16, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Reminder: AIRSS is now seeking partners for our first-ever conference this spring! Learn more in this sponsorship sheet: airssedu.org/wp-content/u...
North Central College will be starting their next Masters of Education in Educational Leadership (principal endorsement) cohort in Summer 2026, starting on May 26th. NCC is able to offer members of AIRSS a 20% discount on graduate education tuition!
Learn more: www.northcentralcollege.edu/programs
Learn more: www.northcentralcollege.edu/programs
January 15, 2026 at 11:00 PM
North Central College will be starting their next Masters of Education in Educational Leadership (principal endorsement) cohort in Summer 2026, starting on May 26th. NCC is able to offer members of AIRSS a 20% discount on graduate education tuition!
Learn more: www.northcentralcollege.edu/programs
Learn more: www.northcentralcollege.edu/programs
President Trump signed the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 into law on December 22, 2025, after bipartisan support moved it through the House and Senate. Learn more about this bill and its impact in Illinois: airssedu.org/post/secure-...
Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 Becomes Law - The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools
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
airssedu.org
January 14, 2026 at 4:00 PM
President Trump signed the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 into law on December 22, 2025, after bipartisan support moved it through the House and Senate. Learn more about this bill and its impact in Illinois: airssedu.org/post/secure-...
AIRSS is dedicated to highlighting stories of rural and small school success. Whatever you feel like sharing, we’re happy to lend an ear. Contact Hailey Winkleman, AIRSS Director of Communications, at info@airssedu.org with your story and any photos you’d like to share.
January 13, 2026 at 8:00 PM
AIRSS is dedicated to highlighting stories of rural and small school success. Whatever you feel like sharing, we’re happy to lend an ear. Contact Hailey Winkleman, AIRSS Director of Communications, at info@airssedu.org with your story and any photos you’d like to share.
Reminder: AIRSS is now seeking partners for our first-ever conference this spring! Learn more in this sponsorship sheet: airssedu.org/wp-content/u...
January 9, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Reminder: AIRSS is now seeking partners for our first-ever conference this spring! Learn more in this sponsorship sheet: airssedu.org/wp-content/u...
AIRSS Program Director John Glasgow was recently interview for FarmWeek about the challenges of transportation in rural schools. Read more: www.farmweeknow.com/education/ge...
Geography complicates rural school busing
Rural school districts struggle with a variety of challenges to safely bus children all season.
www.farmweeknow.com
January 8, 2026 at 4:00 PM
AIRSS Program Director John Glasgow was recently interview for FarmWeek about the challenges of transportation in rural schools. Read more: www.farmweeknow.com/education/ge...
This afternoon! Join the Rural IL CTE Project for a webinar discussing the importance of creative skills for ALL career-bound students. Register Now: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
January 7, 2026 at 3:41 PM
This afternoon! Join the Rural IL CTE Project for a webinar discussing the importance of creative skills for ALL career-bound students. Register Now: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
This Wednesday! Join the Rural IL CTE Project for a webinar discussing the importance of creative skills for ALL career-bound students. Register Now: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
January 5, 2026 at 5:01 PM
This Wednesday! Join the Rural IL CTE Project for a webinar discussing the importance of creative skills for ALL career-bound students. Register Now: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
AIRSS joins educators across the state and nation in looking forward to some well earned rest and reflection over the holidays after a banner season of travel and advocacy. Thank you for your support of AIRSS in 2025 - let's have a great new year!
December 26, 2025 at 6:00 PM
AIRSS joins educators across the state and nation in looking forward to some well earned rest and reflection over the holidays after a banner season of travel and advocacy. Thank you for your support of AIRSS in 2025 - let's have a great new year!
Wishing you a safe and warm holiday season!
December 25, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Wishing you a safe and warm holiday season!
AIRSS is now seeking partners for our first-ever conference this spring! Learn more in this sponsorship sheet: airssedu.org/wp-content/u...
December 24, 2025 at 6:01 PM
AIRSS is now seeking partners for our first-ever conference this spring! Learn more in this sponsorship sheet: airssedu.org/wp-content/u...
The Smithsonian Science Education Leadership Summit is a free, three-day event focused on developing strategies to recruit and retain K-12 STEM teachers. The 2026 Summit will be held from March 27-29 in Philadelphia, PA. Applications are open until January 5: ssec.si.edu/event/smiths...
December 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
The Smithsonian Science Education Leadership Summit is a free, three-day event focused on developing strategies to recruit and retain K-12 STEM teachers. The 2026 Summit will be held from March 27-29 in Philadelphia, PA. Applications are open until January 5: ssec.si.edu/event/smiths...
Arts, Design, Media, and Communications are huge industries, and yet rural schools rarely offer pathways or skills in these fields. Join the Rural IL CTE Project for a webinar discussing the importance of creative skills for ALL career-bound students. Register Now: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
December 19, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Arts, Design, Media, and Communications are huge industries, and yet rural schools rarely offer pathways or skills in these fields. Join the Rural IL CTE Project for a webinar discussing the importance of creative skills for ALL career-bound students. Register Now: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
Reliable transportation is essential to ensuring equitable access to education, particularly in rural areas. Transportation challenges also impact access to CTE programs and work-based learning opportunities. Learn more: airssedu.org/post/driving...
Driving Equity: Understanding and Addressing Transportation Barriers in Rural Illinois - The Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools
For rural districts in Illinois, transportation remains one of the most expensive and logistically complex responsibilities.
airssedu.org
December 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reliable transportation is essential to ensuring equitable access to education, particularly in rural areas. Transportation challenges also impact access to CTE programs and work-based learning opportunities. Learn more: airssedu.org/post/driving...