Rural and low-income schools

The Pennsylvania Department of Education received a $1.4 million Rural Education formula grant (CFDA 84.358) from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, awarded July 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2026. This Rural and Low-Income Schools (RLIS) program grant provides financial assistance to rural school districts to improve teaching and learning quality in their schools. Under the RLIS mechanism, the state education agency distributes funds to eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) on a formula or competitive basis, targeting districts where at least 20 percent of school-age children come from families below the poverty line and all schools meet rural designation criteria.

Through this award, the Pennsylvania Department of Education distributed sub-grants to 26 rural school districts across the state, including Susquehanna Community, Titusville Area, Panther Valley, Brockway Area, and Meyersdale Area school districts, among others. Sub-awards issued between January and February 2026 enabled recipient districts to carry out activities improving teaching quality, academic achievement, technology integration, and educational infrastructure. Beyond core educational services, many sub-awardees utilized funds to support school nutrition programs, COVID-19 pandemic recovery efforts, and enrichment programs, demonstrating the program's role in addressing multifaceted educational needs in rural Pennsylvania communities.