Grants for Rural Schools

Grants for rural schools are designed to increase teaching quality.

Rural schools, due to their location, often suffer from staffing and funding shortages that can only be solved from outside sources. Thus, grant funding for rural schools is often made with the intention of improving the school's teaching quality, increasing its learning technology or rewarding superior performance. Rural school grants are funded by both federal and private sources and will vary in size and purpose.

Fund for Teachers

The Rural School and Community Trust administers the Fund for Teachers program, a grant scheme aimed at expanding the learning opportunities of teachers employed in rural schools. Teachers must be employed in an eligible area, be teaching at prekindergarten to 12th grade and have three years of teaching experience or more. As of 2011, grants amount to $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for groups of teachers. Academic opportunities may be pursued within the United States or around the globe.

Investing in Innovation (i3) Grant

The Investing in Innovation (i3) grant is funded in part by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the Rural School and Community Trust. These grants are designed to improve student achievement by means of implementing new methods in education strategy. The size of the grants varies, but they are geared toward schools where teacher salaries are lower and where school budgets are tighter.

Technology Grants for Rural Schools

These grants are funded by the Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative and administered by the Foundation for Rural Education and Development. Grant sizes vary according to purpose but tend to range between $1,000 and $10,000 as of 2011. All grant awards are geared toward promoting the use of new technology in the classroom. Grants may be used to connect schools to the Internet or to put a new computer in every classroom. Computer-based learning is also an aim of the program.

The Small, Rural School Achievement Program

These grants, which are part of the Rural Education Achievement Program, are awarded by the U.S. Department of Education and are given to schools that demonstrate a certain level of achievement. Schools must have an enrolled student body of less than 600 pupils and must be rurally located. Grants amount to up to $60,000 each, as of 2011. There is no competition for funds, as schools may be automatically entitled to them. Awards are given to schools whose students achieve a given average in state-administered standardized tests. These standards vary each year. The grant is targeted toward funding activities such as English instruction for immigrants, education for the disadvantaged and drug-free schools.

The Rural and Low-Income School Program

The Rural and Low-Income School Program is another grant offered by the Rural Education Achievement Program. Similar to the Small, Rural School Achievement Program, there is no competition for this grant as schools may be automatically entitled to funds. The grant sizes, however, vary considerably and amounts fluctuate according to need. The grant funds are directed toward teacher recruitment and performance incentives, educational technology and any purpose not covered by the Small, Rural School Achievement Program.

References

• The Rural School and Community Trust: Fund for Teachers
• The Rural School and Community Trust: Investing in Innovation (i3) Grant
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation: Rural School Districts Eligible for Federal i3 grant
• Rural Assistance Center: Technology Grants for Rural Schools
• U.S. Department of Education: Small, Rural School Achievement Program