Funding Source:  Federal

Grant Program Name: Title V Rural Education Achievement Program

Application Information: Part B of Title V of the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) contains Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) initiatives that are designed to help rural districts that may lack the personnel and resources to compete effectively for Federal competitive grants and that often receive grant allocations in amounts that are too small to be effective in meeting their intended purposes.

REAP Flex Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility

LEAs must meet the following criteria: (SRSA eligibility criteria)

  1. Total Average Daily Attendance (ADA) of less than 600 students, or serve only schools that are located in counties that have a population density of fewer than 10 persons per square mile
  2. Serve only schools that have an NCES school locale code of 7 or 8 (assigned by the USDE’s National Center for Education Statistics) or be located in an area of the State defined as rural

​No. Under REAP-Flex, 100 percent of selected program funds are combined to support the purposes of another program but within the guidelines of the REAP- Flex program. Any carryover funds revert back to the program of origin. While the applicable funding may be used to support the purposes of another program, it is not subject to all of the rules and requirements of the program.

Under transferability, a percentage (maximum 30 percent for LEAs in improvement status; maximum 50 percent for LEAs not in improvement status; and LEAs in corrective action may not transfer funds) of the allocation of a program is transferred to another program and assumes the identity of the receiving program. Transferred funds are subject to the rules and requirements of the receiving program. Funds may not be transferred from Title I (A).

​No. Because REAP-Flex covers the same programs as transferability and provides LEAs with greater flexibility, a district that is eligible for REAP-Flex may not exercise transferability.

​No. REAP-Flex allows for flexibility in the use of funds. A district that is eligible to participate in REAP-Flex is also eligible for a grant under the Small Rural School Achievement grant program. The USDE awards these funds directly to eligible districts on a formula basis. Even districts not receiving an allocation, but are eligible for the Small Rural School Achievement grant program may exercise REAP-Flex authority.

No. A district that is eligible to participate in REAP-Flex may not receive funding under the Rural Low-Income grant program.

Use of Funds

​Title IIA; Title IID; Title IVA; and Title V

​After the third year of a district’s participation in REAP Flex, the district will be reviewed to determine whether it meets the State’s definition of AYP. If the district fails to make AYP, it may continue to participate in the program only if it uses all applicable funding to carry out the improvement requirements of section 1116 of the ESEA.

The two initiatives within the Rural Education Achievement Program are:

The Small, Rural School Achievement Program which authorizes the Secretary to award formula grants directly to eligible local educational agencies (LEAs) (i.e., those LEAs eligible under the Alternative Fund Use Authority (AFUA) described below) to carry out activities authorized under other specified Federal programs.

  • The Alternative Fund Use Authority (AFUA) is a flexibility provision that allows eligible LEAs to combine funding under certain programs to carry out local activities under other specified Federal programs.

The Rural and Low-Income School Program is designed to address the needs of rural, low-income schools. The USDE awards formula grants to PDE, who in turn award subgrants to eligible LEAs either competitively or on a formula basis. The funds are to be used to carry out activities specified by the statute.

Local education agencies identified by the United States Department of Education that have met basic eligibility requirements receive financial assistance to help them in meeting their state's standards.

Agency​​
AUN
Allocation
Bear Creek Community CS118400001 $18,173.00 
Cameron County SD109122703 $17,814.00 
Carmichaels Area SD101301303 $32,639.00 
Charleroi SD101631803 $46,292.00 
Conemaugh Valley SD108111403 $25,282.00 
Corry Area SD105251453 $65,621.00 
Mahanoy Area SD129544503 $36,790.00 
Meyersdale Area SD108565203 $27,432.00 
Mount Carmel Area SD116495103 $51,112.00 
Northern Potter SD109535504 $17,143.00 
Oil City Area SD106616203 $64,197.00 
Panther Valley SD121136603 $61,362.00 
Port Allegany SD109426303 $29,336.00 
Saint Clair Area SD129546803 $19,093.00 
Salisbury-Elk Lick SD108567004 $9,373.00 
Shamokin Area SD116496503 $75,737.00 
Shenandoah Valley SD129547203 $39,464.00 
Titusville Area SD106617203 $66,840.00 
Union City Area SD105259103 $35,438.00 

Eligible Entities and/or Partners: School Districts and Charter Schools

PDE Bureau/Agency Responsible: Division of Federal Programs