The purpose of the Title V-B Rural Education Initiative is to address the unique needs of rural school districts that frequently lack the personnel and resources needed to compete effectively for Federal competitive grants; and receive formula grant allocations in amounts too small to be effective in meeting their intended purposes.
The Title V-B Rural Education Initiative contains Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) initiatives that are designed to help rural districts that may lack the personnel and resources to compete effectively for Federal competitive grants and that often receive grant allocations in amounts that are too small to be effective in meeting their intended purposes.
The two initiatives within the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) are:
- Subpart 1: Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) Program
- Subpart 2: Rural Education Achievement (RLIS) Program
SRSA Program
USDE administers the SRSA Grant; it is not administered by Oregon Department of Education (ODE). Districts apply directly to USDE for these funds.
Each year (generally in February), USDE posts an Eligibility spreadsheet on the
USDE's SRSA web page. This spreadsheet communicates district eligibility for this program.
SRSA Eligibility Criteria for School Districts:
- The total number of students in Average Daily Attendance (ADA) at all schools comprising the school district is fewer than 600
OR
Each county in which a school served by the school district is located has a total population density of fewer than 10 people per square mile. - All schools that comprise the school district have a National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) locale determination of 41, 42, or 43 (NCES School Locale Codes).
Performance Period for SRSA Grant funds
USDE has extended the performance period of SRSA Grant funds by 12 months:
- September 30, 2021: 2019 SRSA award obligation deadline
- December 30, 2021: 2019 SRSA award liquidation (draw down) deadline
- September 30, 2022: 2020 SRSA award obligation deadline
- December 30, 2022: 2020 SRSA award liquidation (draw down) deadline
Alternative Fund Use Authority (REAP-Flex)
School districts eligible for the SRSA grant (whether the district applies for the SRSA grant or not) are also eligible for Alternative Fund Use Authority, which in Oregon is often called “REAP-Flex”. Under REAP-Flex, the school district's Title II-A and Title IV-A allocations are combined and the school districts apply for the funds within the CIP Budget Narrative application under Title V-B REAP.
Title V-B REAP funds may be used for the following activities:
- Title I-A
- Title II-A
- Title III
- Title IV-A
- Title IV-B 21st Century
Please note, though these combined funds are reflected in the total amount available in the REAP CIP Budget Narrative, they are required to remain as Title II-A and Title IV-A funds within ODE’s E-Grant Management System (EGMS) and must be claimed as such by the district.
USDE states that school districts wishing to use the Alternative Fund Use Authority (REAP-Flex) must notify the State Agency (ODE). ODE considers the Title V-B REAP Budget Narrative submission as the school district’s notification.
RLIS Program
The Oregon Department of Education administers this grant. Districts apply for the funds within the CIP Budget Narrative application under Title V-B RLIS.
RLIS Eligibility Criteria for School Districts:
- Twenty percent or more of children aged 5 to 17 in Average Daily Attendance (ADA) must be from families with incomes below the poverty line as determined by the
Small Area Income Poverty Estimate (SAIPE) data.
- All schools comprising the school district must have an NCES locale determination of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43 (NCES School Locale Codes)
Title V-B RLIS funds may be used for the following activities:
- Title I-A
- Title II-A
- Title III
- Title IV-A
- Parental Involvement Activities
Dual Eligibility
There are cases in which school districts are eligible for both SRSA and RLIS, however, districts may only receive funds under one of these programs. For those districts who are eligible for both programs (“dual eligible”), USDE includes the eligible district’s estimated allocation for both the SRSA and RLIS programs on the Eligibility spreadsheet in order to help districts with the decision process.
If a dual eligible school district applies for the SRSA grant and receives an allocation, that school district is not eligible to receive an RLIS allocation. If a dual eligible school district does not apply for the SRSA grant, that school district will be eligible to receive an RLIS allocation.
Whether a dual eligible school district decides to apply for the SRSA grant or to receive the RLIS allocation, the school district is eligible for the Alternative Fund Use Authority (REAP-Flex).
Title V-B Resources
For more information on this topic please contact Amy Tidwell.
It is a policy of the State Board of Education and a priority of the Oregon Department of Education that there will be no discrimination or harassment on the grounds of race, color, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability in any educational programs, activities or employment. Persons having questions about equal opportunity and nondiscrimination should contact the Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction at the Oregon Department of Education, 255 Capitol Street NE, Salem, Oregon 97310; phone 503-947-5740; or fax 503-378-4772.