Place-Sustaining Partnerships for Rural Education and Workforce Development

This policy brief draws on the 2024 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report on K–12 STEM Education and Workforce Development in Rural Areas to examine how place-sustaining partnerships—among schools, communities, higher education, and industry—advance rural education and workforce development. Through examples of state-led initiatives and community-driven models, the brief illustrates how cross-sector collaboration rooted in local context can develop college and career pathways that equip rural learners to thrive and sustain the long-term vitality of rural communities.