Strategies for dealing with equipment and facilities include contracting specialty and janitorial services, using mobile libraries and portable classrooms, leasing school buildings, eliminating vandalism, and reducing fuel consumption. Strategies for generating funds include the use of school stores, vocational class products, adult evening classes, wise investments, cooperative buying, cooperative application for federal aid programs, community support of school projects, and local donations. Strategies to maximize state aid. Although most rural districts are not happy with current funding formulas, rural school administrators reported strategies to make the state school finance formula work more effectively for their districts. Increase student attendance rates by development of a perfect attendance incentive program.
Schedule purchases to encourage quick state turnaround in state aid.
Access as many special programs as possible that provide additional funding sources outside the regular state aid formula. Rural districts across the country have found the most common areas of cooperation are special education, vocational education, and purchasing. Interscholastic athletics, however, are also becoming an increasingly popular cooperative interest. Technology is another area that is becoming an increasingly popular cooperative interest. Telecommunications provides an opportunity to link educators both within a state and across states.