Rural and low-income schools

The Montana Office of Public Instruction received a $503,642 Formula Grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education under the Rural Education program (CFDA 84.358) effective July 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. This award supports the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program, which provides financial assistance to rural school districts to improve teaching and learning quality. As the State Educational Agency (SEA), the Montana Office of Public Instruction administers these funds by distributing subgrants to eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) within Montana that meet specific rural and low-income criteria—specifically LEAs where at least 20 percent of school-age children come from families below the poverty line and all schools are designated as rural under the National Center for Education Statistics school locale methodology.

The funding enables Montana's eligible LEAs to carry out activities designed to enhance educational resources, infrastructure, and instructional capabilities in rural communities facing unique operational challenges due to small student populations and geographic isolation. Sub-awards are distributed either competitively or by formula to individual school districts, which utilize the grants to support their respective school improvement initiatives. This award represents part of Montana's comprehensive federal education funding portfolio and reflects the state's ongoing commitment to addressing rural education disparities across its school systems.