RURAL Act

Bill: 114-hr-3369
Sponsor: Rep. Loebsack, David [D-IA-2]
Introduced: 2015-07-29 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Academic performance and assessments
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Computers and information technology
Department of Education
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational technology and distance education
Elementary and secondary education
Executive agency funding and structure
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Income tax credits
Indian social and development programs
Minority education
Performance measurement
Rural conditions and development
Special education
Teaching, teachers, curricula

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-29
text: 

Restructuring Underutilized Resources for Advancing Learning Act or the RURAL Act

 
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a refundable tax credit of: (1) $1,000 for teachers in schools in rural or high-poverty areas; (2) $2,000 for such teachers who are certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; or (3) $2,000 for eligible school administrators in rural schools.
 
This bill also amends the Department of Education Organization Act to establish the Office of Rural Education Policy to, among other activities: (1) advise the Department of Education (ED) on matters related to the characteristics and needs of rural schools; (2) establish and maintain a clearinghouse for information related to rural schools; and (3) provide technical assistance to support activities related to improving education in rural areas.
 
ED must prepare, and make publicly available, impact analyses of rules and regulations significantly affecting rural schools.
 
In addition, the bill: (1) authorizes ED to award competitive grants to eligible partnerships, with dedicated funding for partnerships serving rural schools, to implement and evaluate the results of technology-based learning practices, strategies, tools, or courses; and (2) amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to establish and authorize through FY2020 a competitive grant program for eligible entities to establish, expand, or improve expanded learning time and after-school programs in rural areas.
 
The bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to require ED to provide outreach and technical assistance for grant programs under that Act.
 
Rural agencies may submit consolidated plans under ESEA for covered programs.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-11-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2015-07-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-07-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-07-29
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-07-29
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-07-29
text: Introduced in House