The need for this legislation arises from a critical problem for rural school districts in Louisiana and around the nation -- the hiring and retention of qualified administrators and certified teachers, especially in math and science.  Many small school districts often cannot qualify for federal programs based on their small enrollment size.  "While the Administration has offered rural initiatives in the past, Louisiana is often neglected due to our parish-wide system of school districting.  REDI will make sure that our rural students don't get left behind in this year's education debate," stated Congressman John. 

 Today, U.S. Education Secretary Richard Riley previewed the Administration's education proposal for the 106th Congress in announcing the reauthorization of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act (ESEA) -- a $15 billion funding package for education.  "ESEA reauthorization is the perfect vehicle for this REDI proposal.  In the education debate, we must 
not forget that our rural schools constantly face challenges such as shrinking local tax bases, high transportation costs, aging buildings, limited course offerings and limited resources.  REDI addresses those challenges, and provides answers." 

 REDI identifies rural schools and gives states the flexibility to meet the needs of rural students and teachers.  This legislation provides rural students in the United States with increased learning opportunities through educational technology, professional development, technical assistance, teacher recruitment and retention, parental involvement activities and academic enrichment programs.  

 "Working in consultation with the Louisiana Department of Education, we devised a bill that enables rural areas to apply and compete for funding based on the number of rural students served in the state.  With 61 percent of our state's school districts qualifying under REDI's definitions, Louisiana students and teachers stand to benefit tremendously," stated Congressman John.  "This REDI legislation is vital to ensuring that our students and teachers in rural areas have the educational tools that they need to succeed in the 21st century."