,,ii  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #ajif  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,june #d1 #bjac ,mr4   
,baucus 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,rockefell]1 & 
,ms4 ,coll9s7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2  
:i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,heal?1 ,education1       
,labor1 & ,p5sions  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
e/abli% an ,(fice ( ,rural ,education   
,policy 9 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,education4  #a4
 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !  
,(fice ( ,rural ,education ,policy ,act4
  #b4 ,f9d+s & purposes  7a7 ,f9d+s     
,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,!       
,secret>y ( ,education has recogniz$ t  
rural s*ools h unique *all5ges &        
b5efits1 b a rec5t report by ! ,rural   
,s*ool & ,community ,tru/ ref]s to !    
paucity ( rural education rese>* 9 !    
,unit$ ,/ates4  7#b7 ,rural education is
 becom+ an increas+ly l>ge & important  
"p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates public s*ool sy/em4
 ,accord+ to ! ,dige/ ( ,education      
,/ati/ics report$ annually by !         
,national ,c5t] = ,education ,/ati/ics1 

! numb] ( /ud5ts att5d+ rural s*ools    
increas$ by m ?an #aa p]c5t1 f          
#aj1ejj1jjj to ne>ly #aa1gjj1jjj1 betwe5
 ! #bjjd-bjje & #bjjh-bjji s*ool ye>s4  
,! %>e ( ! ,nation's public s*ool       
enrollm5t att5d+ rural s*ools increas$ f
 #ba4f p]c5t to #bc4h p]c5t4 ,9 s*ool   
ye> #bjjh-bjji1 ^! /ud5ts att5d$ #ca1fce
 rural s*ools1 ne>ly "o-?ird ( all      
s*ools 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7#c7 ,despite
 ! ov]all gr[? ( rural education1 rural 
/ud5ts repres5t a demographic m9ority 9 
all b #c ,/ates1 accord+ to ! ,national 
,c5t] = ,education ,/ati/ics4  7#d7     
,rural education is becom+ increas+ly   
div]se4 ,accord+ to ! ,national ,c5t] = 
,education ,/ati/ics1 ! increase 9 rural
 enrollm5t betwe5 ! #bjjd-bjje &        
#bjjh-bjji s*ool ye>s 0                 
disproportionally among /ud5ts ( color4 
,enrollm5t ( *ildr5 ( color 9 rural     
s*ools increas$ by #ca p]c5t1 & !       
proportion ( /ud5ts enroll$ 9 rural     
s*ools :o are *ildr5 ( color increas$ f 
#bc4j to #bf4e p]c5t4 ,m ?an "o-?ird (  

rural /ud5ts 9 #ab ,/ates are *ildr5 (  
color1 accord+ to rese>* by ! ,rural    
,s*ool & ,community ,tru/ 7,:y ,rural   
,matt]s #bjji74  7#e7 ,rural education  
is v>i$ & div]se across ! ,nation4 ,9   
s*ool ye> #bjjg-bjjh1 ! national av]age 
rate ( /ud5t pov]ty 9 rural s*ool       
di/ricts1 z measur$ by ! rate (         
p>ticipation 9 f$]ally subsidiz$ meals  
programs1 0 #ci4a p]c5t1 b rang$ f #i4g 
p]c5t 9 ,connecticut to #ga4i p]c5t 9   
,new ,mexico1 accord+ to ! ,national    
,c5t] = ,education ,/ati/ics4  7#f7 ,ev5
 policy measures int5d$ to help rural   
s*ools c h un9t5d$ consequ5ces4 ,9 aw>d+
 competitive grants "u ! ,inve/+ 9      
,innovation ,fund program "u section    
#adjjg ( ! ,am]ican ,recov]y &          
,re9ve/m5t ,act ( #bjji 7,public ,law   
#aaa-e71 ! ,secret>y ( ,education       
attempt$ to enc\rage & support rural    
applicants by provid+ additional po9ts =
 proposals to s]ve at lea/ #a rural     
local educational ag5cy4 ,b accord+ to  
rese>* by ! ,rural ,s*ool & ,community  

,tru/ 7,tak+ ,advantage1 #bjaj71 ?is    
rural pref]5ce ma9ly _h ! effect (      
induc+ urban applicants to include rural
 p>ticipation m]ely 9 ord] to ga9       
additional scor+ po9ts = prim>ily urban 
projects4  7#g7 ,rural s*ools g5]ally   
utilize di/ance education m (t5 = bo?   
/ud5ts & tea*]s4 ,a fall #bjjh survey ( 
public s*ools by ! ,national ,c5t] =    
,education ,/ati/ics f\nd t rural s*ools
 7 #a times m likely to provide /ud5ts  
access = onl9e di/ance le>n+ ?an s*ools 
9 cities4 ,a ,septemb] #bjjd /udy f !   
,gov]nm5t ,acc\ntability ,(fice report$ 
t rural s*ool di/ricts us$ di/ance le>n+
 = tea*] tra9+ m (t5 ?an non-rural s*ool
 di/ricts4  7#h7 ,! ,national ,c5t] =   
,education ,/ati/ics reports t base     
sal>ies ( bo? ! l[e/ & highe/ paid      
tea*]s are l[] 9 rural s*ools ?an any   
o!r community type4  7b7 ,purposes ,!   
purposes ( ?is ,act are--  7#a7 to      
e/abli% an ,(fice ( ,rural ,education   
,policy 9 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,education2 &   
7#b7 to provide input to ! ,secret>y (  

,education reg>d+ ! impact ( propos$    
*anges 9 law1 regulations1 policies1    
rules1 & budgets on rural s*ools &      
communities4  #c4 ,e/abli%m5t ( ,(fice (
 ,rural ,education ,policy  7a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,title ,,ii ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,education 
,organization ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #cdaa 
et seq47 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end !    
foll[+3  #bba4 ,(fice ( ,rural          
,education ,policy  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,!re   
%all be1 9 ! ,(fice ( ,elem5t>y &       
,second>y ,education ( ! ,dep>tm5t1 an  
,(fice ( ,rural ,education ,policy      
7ref]r$ to 9 ?is section z ! ,(fice74   
7b7 ,director2 duties  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! 
,(fice %all be head$ by a ,director1 :o 
%all advise ! ,secret>y on ! *>act]i/ics
 & ne$s ( rural s*ools & ! effects (    
curr5t policies & propos$ /atutory1     
regulatory1 adm9i/rative1 & budget>y    
*anges on ,/ate educational ag5cies1 &  
local educational ag5cies1 t s]ve s*ools
 ) a locale code ( #cb1 #cc1 #da1 #db1  
or #dc1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y4  7#b7 
,additional duties ( ! ,director ,9     

addition to advis+ ! ,secret>y ) respect
 to ! matt]s describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a71 !
 ,director ( ! ,(fice ( ,rural          
,education ,policy 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is     
section z ! ,director71 ?r\gh ! ,(fice1 
%all--  7,a7 e/abli% & ma9ta9 a         
cle>+h\se = collect+ & dissem9at+       
in=mation on--  7i7 tea*] & pr9cipal    
recruitm5t & ret5tion at rural elem5t>y 
s*ools & rural second>y s*ools2  7ii7   
access to1 & implem5tation & use (1     
te*nology & di/ance le>n+ at su* s*ools2
  7iii7 rigor\s c\rsework deliv]y ?r\gh 
di/ance le>n+ at su* s*ools2  7iv7 /ud5t
 a*ievem5t at su* s*ools1 includ+ !     
a*ievem5t ( l[-income & m9ority /ud5ts2 
7v7 innovative approa*es 9 rural        
education to increase /ud5t a*ievem5t2  
7vi7 high] education & c>e] read9ess &  
second>y s*ool completion ( /ud5ts      
enroll$ 9 su* s*ools2  7vii7 access to1 
& quality (1 e>ly *ildhood developm5t = 
*ildr5 locat$ 9 rural areas2  7viii7    
access to1 or p>tn]%ips )1              
community-bas$ organizations 9 rural    

areas2  7ix7 ! availability (           
pr(essional developm5t opportunities =  
rural tea*]s & pr9cipals2  7x7 !        
availability ( ,f$]al & o!r grants &    
assi/ance t are specifically ge>$ or    
applicable to rural s*ools2 &  7xi7 !   
f9anc+ ( su* s*ools2  7,b7 id5tify      
innovative rese>* & demon/ration        
projects on topics ( importance to rural
 elem5t>y s*ools & rural second>y       
s*ools1 includ+ gaps 9 su* rese>*1 &    
recomm5d su* topics = /udy by !         
,in/itute ( ,education ,sci5ces & o!r   
rese>* ag5cies2  7,c7 coord9ate !       
activities )9 ! ,dep>tm5t t relate to   
rural education2  7,d7 provide in=mation
 to ! ,secret>y & o!rs 9 ! ,dep>tm5t )  
respect to ! activities ( o!r ,f$]al    
dep>tm5ts & ag5cies t relate to rural   
education1 includ+ activities relat+ to 
rural h\s+1 rural agricultural s]vices1 
rural transportation1 rural economic    
developm5t1 rural c>e] & te*nical tra9+1
 rural heal? c>e1 rural disability      
s]vices1 & rural m5tal heal?2  7,e7     

coord9ate ) ! ,bureau ( ,indian         
,education1 ! ,bureau ( ,indian         
,affairs1 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ! ,int]ior1 & ! 
s*ools adm9i/]$ by su* ag5cies reg>d+   
rural education2  7,f7 provide1 directly
 or ?r\gh grants1 coop]ative agreem5ts1 
or contracts1 te*nical assi/ance & o!r  
activities z necess>y to support        
activities relat$ to improv+ education 9
 rural areas2 &  7,g7 produce an annual 
report on ! condition ( rural education 
t is deliv]$ to ! memb]s ( ! ,education 
& ! ,work=ce ,committee ( ! ,h\se (     
,repres5tatives & ! ,heal?1 ,education1 
,labor1 & ,p5sions ,committee ( ! ,s5ate
 & publi%$ on ! ,dep>tm5t's ,web site4  
7c7 ,impact analyses ( rules &          
regulations on rural s*ools  7#a7       
,propos$ rulemak+ ,:5ev] ! ,secret>y    
publi%es a g5]al notice ( propos$       
rulemak+ = any rule or regulation t may 
h a significant impact on ,/ate         
educational ag5cies or local educational
 ag5cies s]v+ s*ools ) a locale code (  
#cb1 #cc1 #da1 #db1 or #dc1 z det]m9$ by

 ! ,secret>y1 ! ,secret>y 7act+ ?r\gh ! 
,director7 %all prep>e & make available 
= public comm5t an initial regulatory   
impact analysis4 ,su* analysis %all     
describe ! impact ( ! propos$ rule or   
regulation on su* ,/ate educational     
ag5cies & local educational ag5cies &   
%all set =?1 ) respect to su* ag5cies1 !
 matt]s requir$ "u section #fjc ( title 
#e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to be set =? ) 
respect to small entities4 ,! initial   
regulatory impact analysis 7or a summ>y7
 %all be publi%$ 9 ! ,f$]al ,regi/] at !
 "t ( ! publication ( g5]al notice (    
propos$ rulemak+ = ! rule or regulation4
  7#b7 ,f9al rule ,:5ev] ! ,secret>y    
promulgates a f9al v]sion ( a rule or   
regulation ) respect to :i* an initial  
regulatory impact analysis is requir$ by
 p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y 7act+ ?r\gh 
! ,director7 %all prep>e a f9al         
regulatory impact analysis ) respect to 
! f9al v]sion ( su* rule or regulation4 
,su* analysis %all set =?1 ) respect to 
,/ate educational ag5cies & local       

educational ag5cies s]v+ s*ools ) a     
locale code ( #cb1 #cc1 #da1 #db1 or    
#dc1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y1 ! matt]s 
requir$ "u section #fjd ( title #e1     
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to be set =? )     
respect to small entities4 ,! ,secret>y 
%all make copies ( ! f9al regulatory    
impact analysis available to ! public & 
%all publi%1 9 ! ,f$]al ,regi/] at ! "t 
( publication ( ! f9al v]sion ( ! rule  
or regulation1 a /atem5t describ+ h[ a  
memb] ( ! public may obta9 a copy ( su* 
analysis4  7#c7 ,regulatory flexibility 
analysis ,if a regulatory flexibility   
analysis is requir$ by *apt] #f ( title 
#e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 = a rule or    
regulation to :i* ?is subsection        
applies1 su* analysis %all specifically 
address ! impact ( ! rule or regulation 
on ,/ate educational ag5cies & local    
educational ag5cies s]v+ s*ools ) a     
locale code ( #cb1 #cc1 #da1 #db1 or    
#dc1 z det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y4  4  7b7  
,effective date ,section #bba7;c7 ( !   
,dep>tm5t ( ,education ,organization    

,act1 z add$ by subsection 7a71 %all    
apply to regulations propos$ m ?an #cj  
days aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act4