Rural and low-income schools

The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education awarded $718,299.00 to the Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction (Department of Education) under the Rural Education program (CFDA 84.358) on July 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2026. This formula grant supports the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program, which provides financial assistance to rural school districts serving economically disadvantaged student populations. The awarded funds are designated for distribution as sub-grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) in Washington State that meet specific rural and low-income eligibility criteria.

Through this award, the Superintendent of Public Instruction administers grant funds to support LEAs in improving the quality of teaching and learning in rural schools. The RLIS program targets districts where at least 20 percent of school-age children live below the poverty line and where schools are designated as rural under the National Center for Education Statistics school locale methodology. The awarded entity distributes these formula-based allocations to eligible sub-recipient LEAs either through competitive selection or formula-based methods, enabling rural and economically disadvantaged school districts to enhance educational resources, instructional capabilities, and overall educational quality.