Schools will receive a portion of $3.7 million.
By Terry Karkos
Staff Writer

Small rural Maine schools like Rangeley, Peru and Wales Central will soon reap a portion of the federal government’s latest $3.7 million booster shot.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins announced late Monday afternoon that more than 150 rural schools and school districts across the state will get additional funding under the Rural Education Achievement Program.

Under REAP’s Small and Rural Schools Achievement Program, 110 districts in Maine will receive awards totaling nearly $1.7 million of additional funding. Average awards total approximately $16,000.

Under REAP’s Rural and Low Income Schools Program, the Maine Department of Education has received $1.9 million to be distributed in subgrants to 48 additional rural and low income districts in the state that are ineligible under the Small and Rural Schools Achievement Program.

Collins said REAP was designed to “level the playing field for small and high poverty rural school systems and make sure all students in Maine have access to the same high quality education.”

“This funding will give rural school systems more flexibility to meet their unique local needs. It also allows rural districts to combine some grants that are awarded under specific categories and use that total sum to address the school district’s highest priorities,” she added.

The Rural Education Achievement Program was designed to help school systems that receive less federal formula funding and are frequently at a disadvantage when applying for competitive grants.

“By allowing small and rural school districts to combine funds, as well as providing additional funds based on enrollment, these districts are finally achieving the critical mass of funding required to undertake significant reform,” Collins said.

Under REAP’s Small Rural Schools Achievement Program, Peru will get $5,069, Rangeley Lakes Regional School will receive $14,403, and Wales Central School will reap $22,251.

Among other such schools are Union 29 of Mechanic Falls, which will receive $28,562, Wayne Elementary School, which will get $15,564; and Fayette Central School District, which will receive $15,689.

Under REAP’s Rural and Low Income School Program, among the districts receiving funding are SAD 9 in Farmington, SAD 21 in Dixfield, SAD 36 in Livermore Falls, SAD 43 in Rumford/Mexico, SAD 44 in Bethel, SAD 58 in Kingfield, SAD 61 in Bridgton, SAD 72 in Fryeburg and the Jay, Poland and Bath school departments. However, an amount for each of these districts has yet to be determined.

Last year, Maine’s small and rural school districts received an additional $2.1 million through the REAP program.

Collins said that since the enactment of REAP, she has led the fight to secure funding for the program through the appropriations process and has successfully increased federal funding for REAP each year.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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