The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 offers several opportunities to support rural education by providing states and local districts more flexibility while preserving the critical role of the federal government. ESSA maintains Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP), which represents a dedicated stream of exible federal formula funding for local school districts. School districts can use REAP to hire additional teachers and aides, purchase new technology, extend course offerings for students, and focus on closing achievement gaps.