The Rural and Remote Education Access Program (RREAP) provides funding to eligible rural and remote state schools and their communities to improve the educational outcomes and opportunities for students who are disadvantaged because of their geographical isolation so that students' learning outcomes match those of other students.
RREAP is governed by the department's
Rural and Remote Education Access Program (RREAP) procedure which should be followed when administering RREAP funds. The procedure is complemented by the
ideas for RREAP projects (DOCX, 143KB) which provides examples of RREAP activities that support and enrich a curriculum that is appropriate for the educational needs of geographically isolated students.
Eligibility and funding
State schools classified as 'Very Remote' and 'Remote' are eligible for RREAP funding. 'Outer Regional' schools are eligible if they are 90km or more from an urban centre locality of 20,000 people or more. All
Schools of Distance Education (SDEs) are classified as 'Very Remote' for the purposes of RREAP, with funding provided to SDEs based on their student's home address meeting the geographic criteria above.
Eligible schools and clusters automatically receive funding to support projects that:
- enhance their students' curriculum opportunities by providing access to services and programs supporting specific learning areas that cannot be sourced locally or incur additional costs compared to urban school communities
- supplement their school's access to information and communication technologies by extending the department's existing equipment and software provisions
- provide professional development to their staff and capability building opportunities for school community members to contribute towards improved educational outcomes for geographically isolated students.
RREAP funding and eligibility is detailed further in the
RREAP appropriation profile.
Information for individual schools
All
eligible schools receive funding automatically through school grant payments each year in line with the RREAP appropriation profile in February and July. Staff can view their school's funding allocation by searching for 'RREAP' on OnePortal.
The decision-making for each school's RREAP payments remains the responsibility of school principals. Principals undertake consultation with the P&C or parents of children attending the school and local community members, including Traditional Owners and other key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, regarding how to best expend funds. This is to take place during regular P&C meetings and by engaging with members of the school community who may submit proposals for RREAP projects to principals.
School principals or their proxies represent their school, P&C or parents of children attending the school and local community members at their School Cluster Committee meetings.
Information for School Cluster Committees (SCC)
School Cluster Committee (SCC)
host schools receive funding automatically on behalf of their cluster through school grant payments each year in line with the RREAP appropriation profile payment details in February, July and September. Staff can view their cluster's funding allocation by searching for 'RREAP' on OnePortal.
SCCs are the decision-makers on this funding and ensure that cluster funds are used to support the improvement of educational outcomes and opportunities for rural and remote state school students through projects that provide: curriculum enhancement opportunities to students; supplementary access to information, communication and technology; and professional development and capability building.
Membership on SCCs consists of each school principal in the cluster or their proxy who represent their school, P&C or parents of children attending the school and local community members. SCCs meet periodically to collaborate, plan, budget and report on RREAP expenditure.
SCCs can change their host school by emailing
RREAP@qed.qld.gov.au with approval from the relevant principals.
Information for parents and school communities
P&Cs or parents of children attending the school and local community members are encouraged to actively engage with their local school principals regarding how best to expend RREAP funds for their local school and cluster.
The
ideas for RREAP projects (DOCX, 143KB) document provides examples of RREAP activities that support and enrich a curriculum that is appropriate for the educational needs of geographically isolated students.
Parents and school communities can engage with their local school principals during regular P&C meetings or by submitting proposals to their local
RREAP school offering or promoting projects that provide: curriculum enhancement opportunities to students; supplementary access to information, communication and technology; and professional development and capability building.
Parents and school communities can also submit proposals for cluster projects through their local school principal. Projects may include joint school initiatives or partnerships with community-based organisations providing extra-curricular programs targeting RREAP school students.
RREAP contacts
Other educational programs
The
Rural and Remote Arts Education Program, delivered in partnership with the
Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), enhances opportunities for rural and remote students and staff to engage with the arts. The program includes 3 components offering a rich variety of learning experiences for school communities, including:
- Rural and Remote Art as Exchange—comprising workshops with arts educators, student workshops, visiting artist in residence workshops and cultural immersion programs for arts educators
- Design Tracks—a residential program for Remote First Nations students
- Kids on Tour arts curriculum boxes—arts resources delivered to small rural and remote schools along with digital resources to support a rich learning experience for Early Years students.
Related links