The purpose of this study was to understand the deciding factors of teachers who have accepted a teaching position, or continue to remain in a teaching position, in rural K-12 public schools in central Illinois. Staffing a school of fully qualified teachers remains one of the most important and difficult challenges to school districts throughout the United States. A 2021 report from the Illinois Association of Regional School Superintendents collected responses from school superintendents on the state of teacher availability and 88% of respondents identified their district as having a teacher shortage problem (IARSS, 2021). To compound the problem an increasing number of teachers are leaving the profession before their third year of experience (National Center for Education Statistics, 2023). In a time when there is a deficit of qualified and experienced teachers for all schools, less desirable schools such as those in rural regions are at a disadvantage. This study intends to provide data and analysis as to what leads and keeps teachers to rural central Illinois public schools. To support these objectives, the following research questions guide this study: (1) What recruitment factors are associated with the decision by teachers to accept a teaching assignment in K-12 public schools within rural-remote or rural-distant districts within Illinois? (2) What retention factors are associated with the decision by teachers to stay and continue to teach in K-12 public schools within rural-remote or rural-distant districts within Illinois?(3) What perceived strategies would current teachers in K-12 public schools within rural-remote and rural-distant districts view as most beneficial in improving teacher recruitment and retention?This quantitative study collected data through the use of a cross-sectional survey modified from previous studies of teachers in very small schools in Montana and Illinois (Davis, 2002; Ulferts, 2015). A total 702 responses came from the 3,478 teachers from central Illinois schools which are designated as rural-distant or rural-remote by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). A total of 92 K-12 school districts with student enrollments ranging from less than 50 students to approximately 1,600 students were included. The collected data were evaluated using Boylan's Model, which summarizes teacher retention in rural schools into spheres that influence the satisfaction of teachers (Boylan et al., 1993). The results revealed that the influencing factors on teacher recruitment were different from influencers on teacher retention. The family/personal sphere was the strongest group of factors influencing the initial decision to accept a position in a rural school. Community and within-classroom factors were the strongest influencers on the decision to remain in the district. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]