To provide financial
assistance to rural districts to carry out activities to help improve the
quality of teaching and learning in their schools.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Formula Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Grantees under the Small, Rural School Achievement Program component may use
program funds to carry out activities authorized under: Title I-Part A (Grants
to LEAs); Title II- Part A (Improving Teacher Quality State Grants); Title
II-Part D (Educational Technology State Grants); Title III (Language
Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students); Title
IV-Part A (Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities State Grants); Title
IV-Part B (21st Century Community Learning Centers); and Title V-Part A (State
Grants for Innovative Programs). Grantees under the Rural and Low- Income
School Program component may use program funds for: teacher recruitment and
retention; teacher professional development; educational technology; parental
involvement activities; activities authorized under ESEA Title IV-Part A (Safe
and Drug-Free Schools and Communities); activities authorized under ESEA Title
I-Part A (Grants to LEAs); and activities authorized under ESEA Title III
(Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students).
Rural Education program funds must be used to supplement not supplant other
funding provided for programs activities.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility:
For the Small, Rural School Achievement Program
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 with a School Locale Code of
7 or 8 under the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education
Statistics (NCES) locator system or the LEA is located in an area of the State
defined as a rural by a State governmental agency. For the Rural and Low-Income
School Program eligible recipients are State educational agencies. States then
must distribute funds to local educational agencies (LEAs) on a formula or
competitive basis. An LEA is eligible to receive a grant under this program only
if (1) it is not eligible for funds under the Small, Rural School Achievement
Program; (2) at least 20% of the school children ages 5-17 in the LEA come from
families with incomes below the poverty line; and (3) all of the schools served
by the LEA are designated with a School Locale Code of 6, 7 or 8 under the U.S.
Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
locator system. 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.
Beneficiary Eligibility:
Elementary and secondary schools, students,
and teachers in rural schools will benefit.
Not applicable. This program is excluded
from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure:
For the Small, Rural School Achievement Program
component, LEAs annually submit applications to the Department of Education.
Application forms are available from the headquarters office. For the Rural and
Low-Income School Program component, 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.
Award Procedure:
For the Small, Rural School Achievement Program
component, 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 the Rural and
Low-Income School Program component, awards are issued annually to SEAs, which
make sub-grants to LEAs. Awards are made to all SEAs that apply and meet the
applicable requirements of the Act. If an SEA does not participate, awards are
issued to eligible LEAs in the State either competitively or by formula.
Deadlines:
Application submissions deadlines are established annually
and published in the Federal Register.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:
120 days.
Appeals:
None.
Renewals:
None.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements:
For the Small, Rural School
Achievement Program component, LEA allocations are based on a statutory formula
which weighs ADA numbers and the LEA's prior year's allocations under ESEA Title
II-subpart 2, Title II-section 2412(a)(2)(A), Title IV- section 4114, and Title
V-Part A. Contact the program office for more specific information. For the
Rural and Low-Income School Program component, SEA allocations are based on the
ADA numbers of eligible LEA recipients. SEAs may make sub-grants through formula
or by competition.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:
Grants are awarded for one
year.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Annual financial and performance reports are due within 90
days of the termination of the project period.
Audits:
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133
(Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and
Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial
assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend
less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit
requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records:
Records must be maintained three years after the completion
of the activity for which grant funds were used.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification:
91-1000-0-1-501.
Obligations:
(Grants) FY 01 $0; FY 02 est $81,250,000; and FY 03 est
$0, for each component of the program.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance:
Small, Rural School
Achievement Program- Range: $0 - $60,000. Rural and Low-Income School Program-
Range: $0 - $8.6 million Average: $1.5 million.
This is a new program for fiscal year 2002, no accomplishments are available.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
34 CFR 76, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 97, 98 and 99.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office:
None.
Headquarters Office:
Office of School Support and Technology Programs,
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202. Contact: Charles Lovett. Telephone:
(202) 401-0039. E-mail: charles.lovett@ed.gov.
