Rural Education Achievement Program

1. Rural Education Achievement Program A guide to success with this new program!

2. Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) • Part one, the Small and Rural Schools Achievement Program, authored by AASA with the help of NREA, made it into law a year and a half ago, for the first time. • Part two, the Rural and Low-income Schools program, will help larger rural districts. AASA

3. Why Rural? Why Small? • The small and rural schools program was conceived by AASA to make the limited amount of federal money small, rural school districts receive easy to use and more effective. • In addition, small rural districts tend to receive less federal funding than their suburban and urban counterparts. AASA

4. Who is Eligible for the Small & Rural Schools Achievement Program? • Eligible districts have an ADA of 600 or fewer or the county in which the district resides has fewer than 10 people per square mile. • AND • Defined as rural by the US Department of Education. Rural for USED means having a local code of 7 or 8. AASA

5. Who is Eligible for the Rural and Low-Income School Program? • Eligible districts have a census poverty count of 20% or more. • AND • Have US Department of Education Locale code of 6, 7 or 8. Locale code 6 translates to a small town. AASA

6. What is a Johnson Locale Code? • This coding system based on both the proximity to metropolitan areas and on population size and density. • Codes are assigned based on the addresses of the individual schools and are assigned at the school level. • Ranges from 1 (urban) to 8 (rural) • http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/ AASA

7. Rural Alternative Definition (aka Waiver) • Applicable to Small and Rural Schools Achievement program only. Proved necessary for those states using P.O. Boxes for districts. Not accurate zip code. • The identity of the State government agency that established the definition; and • An indication of the SEA’s concurrence that the use of the definition and inclusion of the LEA in the Small, Rural School Achievement Program is appropriate. AASA

8. How Does Subpart One Work? • Can co-mingle funds from Titles II(Teacher & Technology), IV (Safe & Drug Free) and V (Innovative Block Grant) • Can spend them in I, II, III(Bilingual and Emergency Immigrant), IV(added 21st Century Grant) or V. AASA

9. How does the formula work? • Provides a supplemental grant with a min. of $20,000 to max. of $60,000. • Formula $20,000 for first 50 students plus $100 for each additional student up to $60,000. • Subtract allocations in Titles II, IV, VI (old Title #’s) or Titles II, IV, V (new Title #’s) AASA

10. A Formula Example • Biggers – Reyno School District, AR • ADA 211 students • $20,000 (50) + $16,100 (161) =$36,100 • Total federal formula funds: $13,610 • 2001- 2002 School Year • Includes Titles II, IV and VI (class size too!) • Far right column of state spreadsheet • $36,100 - $13,610 = $22,490 if fully funded! • Actually received $18,506 (about 18% less) AASA

11. What did the application look like? • Online application – e-grants.ed.gov • Asked for contact information for district • 3 other items of information • Dun & Bradstreet # • NCES code • Tax Identification # • Two Certifications – (S&DF and Debt) • Had to fax signature to DoE • Check award amount: • http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/reap/submittedreap/submittedstatespreadsheet.html AASA

12. How to keep these new dollars? • With all new money comes some accountability. • Districts must comply with Title I assessment provisions. • 3-5, 6-9, 10-12 in reading and math • 2005 – 2006: 3 – 8 reading and math • After three years, district must meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) requirements of Title I AASA

13. Adequate Yearly Progress • New formula to determine school success. • 12 years = 100% proficiency • Scores must be disaggregated into major sub-groups. (95% rule) • States are allowed to set the bar. • Will have to work with state to determine alternative AYP definition. AASA

14. How to keep these new dollars? (cont’d) • If, after 3 years, district does not meet AYP, district can continue to participate but can only use REAP money for school improvement purposes. • If, after 3 years, the district meets AYP, they are free to continue. AASA

15. Federal Accountability! • The Department of Education will request the answers to the following questions from all participating districts: • What dollars did you consolidate? • How did you use the consolidated dollars? • How did you use the new dollars? • Should be expected in the next few months and will occur through an on-line form. AASA

16. Rural & Low-income School Program • Program was developed by states that have county-wide districts that include rural areas, but also benefits larger rural districts. • Program is administered through the state. State determines how dollars are distributed to local districts. • 5% kept at state for administration. AASA

17. State choices for distribution • On a competitive basis • According to a formula based on the number of students • According to a formula that more highly targets the dollars to needy districts • Pre-approved by US Dept. of Ed • Most states are distributing through the formula based on number of students. AASA

18. Uses for new funding… • Teacher recruitment/ retention • Teacher professional development • Educational technology (software too!) • Parental involvement activities • Safe and Drug Free Schools • Title I, Part A • Bilingual and Emergency Immigrant (Title III) AASA

19. Application Process • State provides eligibility information to Dept. of Ed by March 1st. • States apply through consolidated application or through a separate application. • Local district can apply if state chooses not to apply. (However, all states applied) • Most states received dollars by earlier this summer. • Check for eligibility at: • http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/reap/statespreadsheet.html AASA

20. How to keep this money • Federal accountability at state level only. • State must submit a report… • How grants were awarded • How districts and schools used funds • Degree of progress made towards goals in initial application • State may add requirements for districts to complete for the state report. AASA

21. Money, Money, Money… • Most districts are now benefiting from FY 2002 level of $162.5 million. • President’s Bush called for elimination of REAP. • Told it does not provide new benefit. • Was duplicative of NCLB provisions. • Senate Appropriations Committee has restored funding at increase of $175 million. AASA

22. Money, Money, Money… (cont’d) • The House is pushing to stick with the President’s funding levels in his budget. • Democrats and Republican Moderates and pushing for additional education dollars. • Stalemate has caused Congress to go home for campaigning without completing the spending bills. • Continuing Resolutions (CRs) are passed to keep the government in business without completed spending bills. • Maintain last years funding level. • REAP should assume $162.5 million for the present. • Make sure you thank your Senators and Representatives. AASA

23. We need to get the message to President Bush that REAP dollars are needed. Please include the amount of new money you received, how it benefited your district and what impact your district would feel without the dollars. Send it to: Ms. Kathryn Stack Office of Management & Budget 725 17th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20503 202-395-3888 FAX!!! Write a letter… AASA

24. Resource Page • REAP information page can be found at… www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/reap.html • Mary Conk Kusler Legislative Specialist AASA 1801 N. Moore Street Arlington, VA 22209 (703) 875-0733 mkusler@aasa.org AASA