Rural and low-income schools

The South Dakota Department of Education received a Formula Grant award of $449,534.00 from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) 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 the quality of teaching and learning. As a State Educational Agency (SEA), South Dakota Department of Education serves as the intermediary, distributing funds to eligible Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) that meet the program's criteria, which include having at least 20 percent of school-age children from families below the poverty line and schools designated with specific rural locale codes.

The grant funding enables South Dakota to carry out activities designed to enhance educational resources, infrastructure, and instructional capabilities in rural and low-income school districts throughout the state. The department may distribute these funds to eligible LEAs either competitively or by formula basis, with the ultimate goal of addressing the unique challenges faced by rural school districts and supporting improved educational outcomes. Grant funds must be used in compliance with federal regulations, and recipients are required to maintain records for three years following grant completion.