Evaluation of the Implementation of the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) Program: Interim Report
Author: Magill, Kathleen
Date: 2009-12-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Federal Programs,Rural Schools,Low Income,Program Implementation,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,Educational Improvement,Improvement Programs,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Needs Assessment,Educational Planning,Technical Assistance,Accountability,Educational Policy,Regional Characteristics,Interviews,Program Administration,Content Analysis,Administrator Attitudes,Eligibility,Federal Aid,Educational Finance

The Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program is part of the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) that was authorized under Title VI, Part B of the &quot;Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965&quot; (&quot;ESEA&quot;), as amended by the &quot;No Child Left Behind Act of 2001&quot; (&quot;NCLB&quot;). The RLIS program provides additional funds to help rural districts serving low-income students make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as described in section 1111(b)(2) of the &quot;ESEA&quot;. RLIS funds may be used to support a variety of activities, including teacher recruitment and retention; teacher professional development; support for educational technology; parental involvement activities; activities authorized under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program; and activities authorized under Title I, Part A, and Title III of the &quot;ESEA&quot;. RLIS funds are distributed to state education agencies, which then distribute money to the school districts that meet the following RLIS funding criteria: (a) the district is not eligible for a grant from the Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program, which serves rural school districts that have fewer than 600 students or that serve extremely sparsely populated areas; (b) 20 percent or more of the children ages 5 through 17 served by the district are from families with incomes below the poverty line; and (c) all of the schools included in the district must have a National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) locale code of 6 (small town), 7 (rural), or 8 (rural near an urban area). For the 2008-09 school year, the RLIS program distributed almost $85 million to 40 states. In turn, the states distributed RLIS funds to 1,486 districts. Award amounts ranged from approximately $1,800 to more than $627,000, averaging about $57,000 per district and $28 per pupil. This report includes findings from interviews conducted during spring of the 2007-08 school year, during which the RLIS program distributed almost $85 million to 39 states. That year, states distributed RLIS funds to 147 districts. Awards ranged from approximately $2,100 to almost $750,000, averaging about $67,000 per district and $33 per pupil. Key purposes of this study are to identify how states and school districts use RLIS funds, to identify the barriers to meeting state RLIS goals, and to assess the progress districts made toward improving student achievement. This interim report includes findings on state implementation of the RLIS program, state priorities for RLIS funds, and RLIS district characteristics. Appendices include: (1) State Coordinator Interview Guide; and (2) Supporting Data for Chapter 3. (Contains 29 exhibits and 7 footnotes.) [For &quot;Evaluation of the Implementation of the Rural and Low-Income School Program: Final Report,&quot; see ED517417.]