USDA Invests $72M in Distance Learning Grants

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $72 million in grants to help rural residents gain access to health care and educational opportunities. These investments will benefit more than 12 million rural residents.

“We welcome investments that will benefit the children in Oklahoma. In addition to their local curriculum, this investment will give our rural students the opportunity to access other courses of interest and broaden their career opportunities,” said Dr. Lee Denney USDA Rural Development Oklahoma State Director. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has been working tirelessly to be a strong partner to rural Oklahoma in building stronger and healthier communities, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”

• In Oklahoma, the Epic Charter School is receiving a $969,327 grant to link urban schools in Oklahoma and Texas with rural schools, students and community partners in both states. The school will provide Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) courses, Career and Technical Education (CTE) certifications, Advance Placement (AP)/concurrent college courses, professional development and opioid education services. Interactive video conferencing equipment also will be installed.

Perdue announced investments today in Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state office. USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.