Please see the below information from DESE we received in reference to Rural School Aid.

Erica
----- Forwarded message from "Reis, Jacqueline (DESE)" <Jacqueline.Reis@mass.gov> -----
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 23:22:27 +0000
From: "Reis, Jacqueline (DESE)" <Jacqueline.Reis@mass.gov>
Subject: Rural School Aid
To: "Bourque, Mary M. - ext" <mbourque@massupt.org>, "Scott, Tom - ext" <scott@massupt.org>, "Hedrick, Erica - ext" <ehedrick@massupt.org>, Glenn Koocher <gkoocher@masc.org>, Amartin@masc.org, Jenifer Handy <jhandy@masc.org>

Dear MASS and MASC leadership,

Today, DESE posted the FY2026 Rural School Aid distribution. Consistent with the line-item language, we identified districts eligible for Rural School Aid based on their student density (not more than 35 students per square mile) and their per capita income (less than $57,834 per capita according to 2022 data from the Department of Revenue). Based on these criteria, there are 65 school districts that are eligible to receive Rural School Aid in FY2026.

Rural School Aid can be used for a wide variety of purposes to support district operations, with priority given to efforts to increase regional collaboration, consolidation, or other strategies to improve long-term operational efficiency and effectiveness. 

We will make the first payment within the next week and distribute the remaining funds later in the fiscal year. Once received, the funds should be deposited in a separate account so that they can be spent without further action on the part of the local appropriating authority by June 30, 2026. 

We will send districts a survey link in the coming weeks so that they can report on how they plan to use these funds. Districts will also be required to report Rural School Aid as a state grant expenditure on their FY26 End of Year Reports (EOYR). 

Please direct questions regarding Rural School Aid to Michelle Griffin. 

Best wishes,

Jackie

Jacqueline Reis (Pronouns: she, her, hers)

Communications Director

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Serving pre-K through adult learners

781-338-3115 (work)

781-605-4419 (mobile)

jacqueline.reis@mass.gov

135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149

Your Presence is Powerful

----- End forwarded message -----

-----------------------------------
Erica Hedrick
Director of Operations

Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (M.A.S.S.)

ehedrick@massupt.org

(T) 781-541-5098

(F) 781-541-5534

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www.massupt.org

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