Implementing the No Child Left Behind Act: Implications for Rural Schools and Districts
Rural Education Achievement Program
The Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), Title VI, Part B of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, was designed to provide financial resources and flexibility to rural districts. It is meant to provide resources to districts whose operations are affected by location and small student enrollment to assist them in raising student achievement. Through two separate programs, financial assistance is provided to rural districts in two categories: small and low-income. In addition, the Alternative Uses of Funds Authority, the third component of REAP, allows rural districts to consolidate funds. Eligible districts may consolidate funds from various federal programs, including Teacher Quality grants, Local Technology grants, Safe and Drug Free Schools and Innovative Programs. The consolidated funds may be spent on teacher recruitment, professional development, education technology, parental involvement activities, activities included in Safe and Drug Free Schools program, activities included in Title I, Part A, and bilingual and emergency immigrant education. Approximately 6,000 schools are currently eligible for REAP programs.
For the first time, through REAP, the federal government has targeted funding directly to rural schools. While the average award size is only about $20,000, for many rural districts, the awards will almost double the amount of federal funding they receive. Many districts plan to use the additional resources to address staffing needs or to sustain existing programs. Moreover, the ability to transfer funds from various federal programs will allow small districts to more effectively target resources where they are most needed.
