The Rural Education Initiative (Title V, Part B) is a suite of federal programs designed to address the unique needs of rural local education agencies (LEAs). These LEAs frequently lack personnel and resources needed to compete for federal competitive grants and often receive formula allocations that are too small to be used effectively for their intended purposes.

OSPI supports LEAs with three rural education provisions:

• Small, Rural School Achievement Program (SRSAP) grants, awarded directly from the U.S. Department of Education, provide financial assistance to LEAs.
• Alternative Fund Use Authority (REAP) provides eligible LEAs with greater flexibility in using the formula grant funds they receive under certain state-administered federal programs.
• Rural Low-income Schools Program (RLIS) provides grant funds to rural LEAs that serve concentrations of children from low-income families.