Why School-to-Work Programs Matter in Rural Communities
STW is a form of career and technical education (CTE), a broad category of schooling that combines classroom instruction and workplace mentorship in a process known as work-based learning (WBL). Particularly in rural communities, STW programs have become central for preparing students for the labor market.
STW is already quite widespread. In the last national longitudinal data collection, occurring in 1997, around two-fifths of students reported participating in an STW program. Updated metrics are expected in 2027, and there is likely to be even higher participation that coincides with the increase of CTE and STW program credibility.
For rural districts that face limited economic opportunities and shrinking populations, STW helps connect students directly to local jobs in fields with persistent labor shortages—such as healthcare, construction, and legal management—while simultaneously removing barriers related to access and costs of postsecondary education.
Yet, while STW programs strengthen both education and local economies, their rapid expansion presents a predicament in rural areas. When students align their career training too closely with local employers, their long-term mobility pathways may decrease, especially when credentials are not portable beyond a particular region. That makes it essential to evaluate whether the current way STW programs are structured expand opportunities or anchor students to the confines of local economies.
Rural schools often function as economic anchors within their communities. In places where employment options are limited and local economies heavily rely on a small number of industries, schools can prepare and stabilize the future workforce. As schools encourage this narrative of reliance, students may be guided toward specific paths for their futures. One study found that students’ postsecondary residential aspirations were shaped more by the employment opportunities demonstrated in the local economy than by the socioeconomic level of their schools or by the advice they received from educators. So, when schools highlight viable career opportunities within the community, students may feel more confident building a life locally.
This dynamic is particularly relevant in rural regions that face persistent “brain drain,” where talented graduates migrate away from their communities in search of better opportunities. STW programs can therefore contribute to both preparation for employment and identity formation as it relates to place attachment, which in turn invites students to shape their futures around their home communities.
Beyond these broad socioeconomic effects, STW programs provide several educational benefits. Many STW opportunities show evidence for increased student engagement and motivation, while other research suggests high-quality CTE can increase graduation rates by 7 to 10 percent, (with the caveat that certain tracks may decrease graduation rates). More research is needed to understand the exact programs that contribute to each trend and where STW stands among them. But it is clear that STW students who graduate often have a direct path into the workforce, offering them immediate full-time employment.
Recognizing these benefits as well as the consistent labor shortages among younger generations, policymakers have increasingly supported STW programs. Beginning with the School-To-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, STW programs have garnered some federal support over the last few decades, but often final policy decisions around funding and design fall back on the state. Since 2023, 34 states and Washington, D.C., have enacted 80 laws dedicated to WBL. As of 2026, federal involvement remains relatively limited, primarily operating through two channels: the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 Youth Program, which assists youth facing barriers to employment, and Perkins V, which more broadly targets WBL and CTE.
