Rural and low-income schools

The Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education awarded the Illinois State Board of Education $1.428 million under the Rural Education program (CFDA 84.358) on July 1, 2026, for formula grant activities to improve the quality of teaching and learning in rural schools. The Illinois State Board of Education, a state educational agency, administers the award with place of performance in Springfield, Illinois. The award obligates $1,428,395 with a period of performance through September 30, 2027. The Illinois State Board of Education functions as a pass-through entity, distributing sub-awards to eligible local educational agencies throughout Illinois that meet Rural Education program eligibility criteria. The program targets rural districts where the total number of students in average daily attendance is less than 600 or where each school is located in a county with a total population density below 10 persons per square mile, or where at least 20 percent of school children ages 5–17 come from families below the poverty line and schools meet specified National Center for Education Statistics school locale codes.