As reported by The 74, the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) is among the 17 funding sources that the Trump administration wants to roll into a $2 billion block grant. Congress approved $220 million for REAP this year, but under the president’s plan, governors and state education chiefs would decide whether rural districts would get extra money. In fact, rural districts struggle to apply for large, competitive grant programs and rural school officials have expressed great concern that money rolled into a block grant would be swallowed up by the bigger schools as their needs are much greater than those in rural areas. Such an outcome would leave “small rural schools looking to find funding despite their not having grant writers and cannot bring in the resources other states might have or other cities might have. In fact, rural districts struggle is applying for large, competitive grant programs
REAP does not work like a block grant and districts eligible for the funds, based on size and location, receive an invitation to apply. Most do apply since the process is simple, direct and does not require extensive administrative capacity.
Districts that qualify for Small, Rural School Achievement funding, one of the two REAP programs, have fewer than 600 students and are located in an area their state defines as rural. Others, with 20% of students who live below the poverty line, qualify for the Rural and Low-Income School program, and some are eligible for both. This year, 17,873 were eligible for one or both programs and funding is used for use the funds for tutoring, afterschool and technology needs, bullying prevention, special education assistants, and support to help students graduate.
The administration pitched the same block grant idea last year, and Congress ultimately rejected it.
For more from The 74, click here.