Rural Education

To provide financial assistance to rural districts to carry out activities to help improve the quality of teaching and learning in their schools.

For SRSA, eligible recipients are local educational agencies (LEAs) in which (1) the total number of students in average daily attendance at all of the schools served by the LEA is less than 600 or where each school in the LEA is located in a county with a total population density of less than 10 persons per square mile; and (2) all of the schools served by the LEA are designated as rural by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) using the NCES school locale methodology in place at the time of enactment of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) or the LEA is located in an area of the State defined as rural by a State governmental agency. For RLIS, eligible recipients are State educational agencies (SEAs). SEAs then must distribute funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) on a formula or competitive basis. An LEA is eligible to receive a grant under RLIS only if (1) at least 20 percent of the school children ages 5-17 in the LEA come from families with incomes below the poverty line; and (2) all of the schools served by the LEA are designated with a school locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43 under the NCES school locale methodology in place at the time of ESSA’s enactment. If an SEA chooses not to participate in the program, the Secretary uses the State's allocation to make direct grants to eligible LEAs in the State. If an LEA is eligible for both SRSA and RLIS, the LEA may choose in which program to participate.

Elementary and secondary schools, students, and teachers in rural schools.

For SRSA, the Department requires an application from each eligible. Application forms and instructions are available from the headquarters office. For RLIS, an SEA must submit an application that includes specific, measurable goals and objectives for the activities to be carried out through the grant. If an SEA does not participate in the program, eligible LEAs in the State may submit an application directly to the Department.

For SRSA, awards are issued annually directly to eligible LEAs on a formula basis. Awards are made to all that apply and meet the applicable requirements of the Act. Contact the program office for more information. For RLIS, awards are issued annually to SEAs, which make subgrants to LEAs. Awards are made to all SEAs that have RLIS-eligible LEAs and apply and meet the applicable requirements of the Act. SEAs then award subgrants to eligible LEAs in the State either competitively or by formula.

Approximately 120 days.