U.S. Department of Education walks rural districts through SRSA eligibility, fund access and allowed uses

The U.S. Department of Education’s REAP team delivered an orientation for Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) grantees, laying out eligibility rules, how SRSA awards are calculated, the process to access funds through G5, and the flexible uses permitted during a 27‑month performance period.

The presentation began with Jordan Haydel, a program officer on the REAP team, who said the webinar was designed "to highlight the main things that an administrator should know about the program in order to make decisions about a school district's SRSA grant." The REAP presenters emphasized that the SRSA program is intended to help small rural local education agencies (LEAs) use federal resources more effectively and participate in ESEA title programs.

On eligibility, REAP staff said an LEA qualifies as "small" if its average daily attendance is under 600 or it is located in a county with population density under 10 persons per square mile. REAP staff also noted an LEA is rural if all its schools have NCES rural locale codes 41, 42, or 43, or if a state has designated the LEA as rural for SRSA purposes. "An LEA is considered small for SRSA if its average daily attendance is under 600," a presenter said.

The team explained award calculation in plain terms:…