CFDA 84.358: Rural Education

Objectives

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

Eligible applicants

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.

Financial assistance range

FY 23: Range of new awards for SRSA: $96 - $79,168; Average new award for SRSA: $25,638. Range of new awards for RLIS: $43,003 - $11,645,570; Average new award for RLIS: $2,2753,648. FY 24: Range of new awards for SRSA: $269 - $81,880; Average new award for SRSA: $26,328. Range of new awards for RLIS: $37,934 - $11,270,153; Average new award for RLIS: $2,420,000. FY 25: Range of new awards for SRSA: $263 - $80,019; Average new award for SRSA: $25,730. Range of new awards for RLIS: $37,049 - $11,008,677; Average new award for RLIS: $2,365,000.

Reference data sourced from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. The authoritative source for application requirements, deadlines, and award amounts is the official SAM.gov listing linked above. This page is editorial reference, not an official notice.