The RLIS program provides grant funds to rural LEAs that serve children from low-income families. Under RLIS, the U.S. Department of Education awards funds to State Education Agencies (SEAs), which make sub-grants to LEAs. An SEA has the choice to award the RLIS grant funds to eligible LEAs via a formula or via a competition. The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) awards via a formula. RLIS funds support a range of authorized activities in order to assist students in meeting challenging State academic standards.

To be eligible for the RLIS program (CFDA no. 84.358B) the LEA must meet statutory criteria of being both low-income and rural (ESEA section 5221 (b)(1)).

1. To be considered low-income, 20 percent or more of the children ages five through seventeen served by the LEA must be from families with incomes below the poverty line.
2. To be considered rural, all the schools in the LEA must be designated with a locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42 or 43 (assigned by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) or meet Nevada’s rural definition). To learn more about NCES locale codes please visit, https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/annualreports/topical-studies/locale/definitions.

Defining Rural in Nevada In Nevada, school districts are coterminous with county borders, which is why there are only seventeen school districts or local education agencies (LEAs). The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) defines a ‘rural LEA’ by utilizing the U.S. Census Bureau’s definition of rural which is informed by its definition of urban. A rural LEA in Nevada encompasses all population, housing, and territory not included within an urban area. Federal Register Urban Census definition.

• Nevada Rural LEAs - Federal Fiscal Year 2024

Generally between the months of March and April each year, the RLIS funding application becomes available to complete in the Electronic Plans, Applications, Grants and Expenditures (ePAGE). RLIS eligible LEAs will be notified via email of their eligibility to apply for the RLIS grant and will be informed of the Revision 0 funding application’s open and close dates.

The RLIS funding application requirements are in the Title V-B, Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) Plan section of ePAGE. The LEA must respond to each question in a narrative, paragraph format.

1. Scope and Purpose of the Project(s). Please describe the LEAs scope and purpose of the project.
2. Measurable Goals and Objectives, focused on student achievement. Please describe the LEAs measurable goals and objectives that align to NDE's objectives for the RLIS program. The NDE identified in its approved Consolidated State Plan two desired outcomes for the RLIS grant:
   • To increase Student academic achievement; and/or
   • Decrease student dropout rates.
3. Identify alignment with authorized title activities and level of evidence for program, strategy and/or intervention. Please describe how has the LEA aligned budgeted authorized title activities, level of evidence for the program, strategy and/or intervention to meet measurable goals and objectives.
4. Describe how RLIS funds are prioritized to schools identified for school improvement.

For all questions related to the programmatic requirements of the RLIS funding application please reach out to Nevada’s REAP State Director, Priya Miller, Priya.miller@doe.nv.gov. All questions related to the functionality of ePAGE, please reach out to, grantsinfo@doe.nv.gov.

RLIS funds may be used for activities allowable under:

1. Title I, Part A (Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Education Agencies).
2. Title II, Part A (Supporting Effective Instruction) activities.
3. Title III (Language Instruction for English Learners and Immigrant Students) activities.
4. Title IV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants) activities; and
5. Parental Involvement Activities.

The USED REAP team created an online searchable list of examples of possible used of REAP grant funds. The list is illustrative only, and not intended to be exhaustive, and applies only to funds awarded under REAP.

Please visit, Guide to Using Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP) Funds - Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, to access the guide.

The regulations at 2 C.F.R. §200.328 and §200.331 establish the oversight and monitoring responsibilities of NDE as they relate to RLIS funds. The NDE is required to monitor LEA activities to ensure program requirements and commitments made in the annual funding application, as well as other relevant statutes and regulations are followed, and that the LEA is meeting the NDE’s performance expectations. The NDE will monitor for compliance with: Federal statutes and regulations, applicable State rules and policies, commitments made in an LEA’s RLIS funding application, an LEA’s use of RLIS funds, the LEA’s performance as it relates to the NDE’s objectives and intended outcomes for the RLIS program, and the accuracy of both eligibility and performance data the LEA reports to NDE.