Rural and low-income schools

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) received a $1,978,324 formula grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education under the Rural Education program (CFDA 84.358) for the period July 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. This award supports financial assistance to rural school districts and low-income local educational agencies (LEAs) to improve the quality of teaching and learning in their schools. The Rural Education program operates through two primary mechanisms—the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program and the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program—with formula-based allocations designed to address the unique challenges faced by rural districts with limited student populations or those located in sparsely populated areas.

NYSED, as the State Educational Agency (SEA), distributed subgrants from this award to six eligible rural LEAs in New York State: Whitney Point Central School District, Addison Central School District, Hudson City School District, Monticello Central School District, Ellenville Central School District, and Gouverneur Central School District I. These sub-awardees utilized the funding to deliver comprehensive educational services, including support for disadvantaged and homeless students, language instruction programs, special education services, well-rounded educational access, academic achievement improvements, and school safety enhancements. The sub-awards were issued between November 2025 and February 2026, enabling participating school districts to strengthen instructional capabilities and educational resources across their respective regions.