Conrad's Education Bill Invests in Rural Schools
Bill Delivers More than $875K for Rural and Small ND Schools, Senator says
Rural schools would see an increase of more than 30 percent in federal grants for technology upgrades in the classroom and teacher training under bipartisan legislation introduced today by Senator Kent Conrad.
Senator Conrad's legislation would change current law to allow more rural school districts to receive a greater amount of aid through the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP). Senator Conrad originally created REAP in 1999 through bipartisan legislation with Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, in order to give small, rural schools greater flexibility to use federal grants that otherwise they would be ineligible to receive.
"Our effort today helps curb the growing disparity between what schools in larger urban and suburban districts get, and what schools in rural districts receive in federal grants," Senator Conrad said. "This bill will go a long way toward ensuring all our kids have access to a quality education, regardless of where their school is found on a map."
From 2002 to 2006, REAP distributed federal grants totaling $3.59 million to small, rural schools in North Dakota.
REAP is currently the only source of federal funding to aid rural school districts in overcoming financial inequality caused by geographic isolation. Combined federal assistance to eligible North Dakota schools would exceed $875,000 per year if Senator Conrad's proposed changes are adopted.
A founder and co-chair of the Senate Rural Education Caucus, Senator Conrad was able to include a modified version of his REAP bill as a provision in 2002's 'No Child Left Behind' education bill.
Collins has joined Conrad to co-sponsor today's legislation. Congressman Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota and Congressman Randy Kuhl (R-NY) are the bill's chief proponents in the House of Representatives.