HYDE-SMITH THANKS EDUCATION SEC. FOR MAINTAINING RURAL, LOW-INCOME SCHOOLS FUNDING
Senator Had Raised Concerns about Eligibility Changes Affecting Miss. Schools
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In addition to highlighting educational achievements in Mississippi, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today thanked Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for stepping back from reforms that could have reduced eligibility and funding for rural, high poverty school districts.
Hyde-Smith was among 21 Senators who signed a letter to DeVos this week that raised fairness concerns regarding the negative effect new eligibility requirements would have on school districts applying for Rural Low-Income Schools (RLIS) grant funding in 2020. DeVos late Wednesday approved a one-year, hold-harmless policy for 2020 applicants, including some rural Mississippi school districts.
“The Rural Low-Income Schools Program funding helps rural, high poverty school districts carry out activities to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools. This program is especially helpful for rural schools that lack the resources to hire a grant writer to compete for national grants,” Hyde-Smith said.
“I’m thrilled that Secretary DeVos is willing to provide flexibility to rural schools as we work on a solution to implementation problems for the Rural Low-Income Schools program,” she said.
Earlier this year, the Education Department decided to discontinue the use of free lunch data as a measure of poverty in rural districts applying for RLIS grants. The Senators took issue that the policy was made without congressional notification and after FY2020 appropriations had already been signed into law. The change could have jeopardized about $400,000 to Mississippi, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report. Mississippi schools received $5.15 million from the RLIS program in FY2019.
At Wednesday’s Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, Hyde-Smith also praised recent educational achievements in Mississippi.
“I have to take a moment to brag on my home state. At the end of last year, Mississippi had a huge win in educational advancement,” Hyde-Smith told DeVos. “The state ranked Number 1 in gains on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. We were the only state in the nation to show significant increases in three of the four core subject areas. This was due to the hard work of our state’s educational leaders, teachers, and students. We also can point to our success from the support your Department gives us through important federal programs, like Title I and Title II.”
Hyde-Smith also welcomed the budget request recommendation to increase support significantly for Career and Technical Education programs.
“My constituents tell me regularly about the importance of CTE programs to provide valuable career exposure and workforce training. It is important we continue to give students the tools they need to fill high-skill, in-demand technical jobs,” Hyde-Smith said.
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