Rural and low-income schools

The Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education awarded $1.924 million to the Commonwealth of Virginia State Board of Education on July 1, 2026, under the Rural Education program (CFDA 84.358), a formula grant to provide financial assistance to rural districts to carry out activities that improve the quality of teaching and learning in their schools. The award obligates $1.924 million and runs through September 30, 2027, with place of performance in Richmond, Virginia. The State Board of Education serves as the state educational agency distributing funds to eligible local educational agencies on a formula basis; eligible recipients are LEAs meeting rural designation criteria under National Center for Education Statistics school locale methodology and either serving fewer than 600 students in average daily attendance or located in counties with population density below 10 persons per square mile, or LEAs with at least 20 percent of school children ages 5–17 from families below the poverty line in areas designated with specific NCES school locale codes. The Board systematically sub-awards portions of federal grants to local school districts and educational entities across Virginia to implement targeted educational services while maintaining state-level oversight and accountability for federal program administration.