Senator Susan Collins, along with her colleague Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND), today re-introduced bipartisan legislation that would more closely target federal funding to rural schools throughout Maine and across the nation in an effort to provide rural school districts with the necessary resources to support technology upgrades, teacher training, and other activities.
Senator Collins' legislation would modify current law to more closely target rural school districts in need of aid through the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP). Senators Collins and Conrad originally created REAP in 1999 through bipartisan legislation in order to give small, rural schools greater flexibility to use federal grants that they otherwise would be ineligible to receive.
"Education is an essential driver for preparing our young people to compete in the 21st century economy," said Senator Collins. "REAP is the only dedicated federal funding stream to aid rural school districts. Our legislation would address the unique needs of these schools by providing additional funding and flexibility to help ensure that students in rural areas have the same access to federal dollars and a good education as students who attend schools in urban and suburban communities."
Senator Collins is the co-chair of the Senate Rural Education Caucus.