The Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education awarded a $3,795,936 Rural Education Formula Grant to the Florida Department of Education. The purpose of this grant is to provide financial assistance to rural school districts to help improve the quality of teaching and learning. The Florida Department of Education passed through this funding to 17 rural school districts across the state as sub-awards. The sub-awardees used the funds to provide a wide range of education-related services, including operating the National School Lunch Program, delivering special education services, facilitating career and technical education initiatives, addressing learning loss from COVID-19, expanding student access to technology, and enhancing literacy programs. Key sub-awardees included school districts in Gadsden, Gilchrist, Levy, Highlands, Union, Calhoun, Hendry, Jackson, Franklin, Okeechobee, Putnam, Washington, Columbia, Suwannee, Hardee, Taylor, and Glades counties.