Rural and low-income schools

The Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education awarded the Louisiana Department of Education $4.199 million on July 1, 2026, under the Rural Education program (CFDA 84.358), a formula grant supporting activities to improve teaching and learning quality in rural schools.

The Louisiana Department of Education, operating as the state educational agency, receives this funding to distribute to eligible rural local educational agencies across Louisiana. The award obligates $4.199 million for the period July 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, with place of performance in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Under the Rural Education program structure, the state agency makes subgrants to LEAs either competitively or by formula; eligible LEAs must meet rurality criteria defined by the National Center for Education Statistics school locale methodology and, for the Rural Low-Income Schools (RLIS) component, demonstrate that at least 20 percent of school-age children fall below the poverty line. The program funds one-year grants; records must be retained for three years after activity completion.