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.