DOE Home

Bureau Of Federal Educational Programs

Title VI, Part B, Subpart 2: Rural and Low-Income Schools (RLIS) Homepage

The SRSA program is a rural school initiative with two components. One that provides eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) with greater flexibility in using the formula grant funds that they receive under certain State-administered Federal programs; known as REAP-Flex (alternative uses of funds authority). This component does not provide for any funding but give LEAs latitude in spending funds that they receive under other Federal programs to support a wide range of local activities that support both school improvement and student achievement. The second component is the actual awarding of SRSA funds directly to eligible LEAs from the United States Department of Education (USDE) on a formula basis.

The RLIS program authorizes formula grant awards to State Educational Agencies (SEAs), which in turn make subgrants to eligible LEAs by formula. The RLIS Program is intended to meet the unique needs of rural and low-income districts by providing resources and flexibility to supplement selected NCLB priorities. Challenges faced by these districts often include the lack of personnel and resources needed to compete effectively for Federal competitive grants and formula grant allocations in amounts too small to be effective in meeting their intended purpose.

The guidelines for eligibility are established by the USDE. An LEA is eligible if:

• 20 percent or more of the children age 5 to 17 served by the LEA are from families with incomes below the poverty line as reported in the U.S. Census Bureau's Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) data; and

For RLIS:

• Each school within the LEA must have a locale code of 6, 7, or 8 as assigned by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
• The LEA must not meet the eligibility requirements for the SRSA program.

For SRSA:

• The LEA must have a total ADA of less than 600 students; or
• Serve only schools that are located in counties that have a population density of fewer than 10 persons per square mile; and
• Serve only schools that have an NCES school locale code of 7 or 8 (as assigned by USDE NCES); or
• Be located in an area of the State defined as rural by a governmental agency of the State.

• Statutory Authority
• Title VI Local Educational Agency Project Application
• Title VI Local Educational Agency Monitoring

Title VI Data and Reporting

• 2007-2008 Consolidated State Report for Title VI (PDF, 137KB)

Title VI Technical Assistance

• USDE Non-Regulatory Guidance on Rural Education Achievement Program (Word)

Title VI Additional Resources

• U.S, Department of Education Rural and Low-Income School Program Home Page
• National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page
• Navigating Resources for Rural Schools
• National Rural Education Association
• What Works Clearinghouse Home Page
• US Census Small Area Income and Poverty Statistics

Title VI Contacts

• 
  State Coordinator for Rural and Low Income Schools, Office of Title I Programs
  Desk Phone: 850-245-0682
  Main Line: 850-245-0414
  Fax: 850-245-0697
• 
  Program Specialist IV, Office of Title I Programs
  Desk Phone: 850-245-9984
  Main Line: 850-245-0414
  Fax: 850-245-0697

For questions & comments regarding education issues: | For questions & comments regarding this Web site: E-mail Webmaster
Accessibility | Copyright Florida Department of Education ©2005 - 2013 | Privacy Statement | Public Records
Free Downloads: Acrobat Reader | Excel Viewer 2003 | Word Viewer 97/2000 | PowerPoint Viewer 2003
Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.