Some small Northwest Missouri schools learned Monday of some big money to help with their ambitions.

The U.S. Agriculture Department approved a $444,294 grant for a consortium of 11 school districts through its Rural Development program.

The money goes toward technology improvements for the schools and professional development for their staffs.

Dr. Smith, superintendent of Worth County R-III School District, said the grant allows the small schools to provide their students a best-of-both-worlds experience.

“We want to think like a big school district but we’re maintaining our small class sizes and student-teacher ratios,” she said.

The consortium, formed in 2003, goes by the name Rural Education Advocacy Group. It also includes: Maryville R-II, Mound City R-II, Rock Port R-II, Tarkio R-I, Jefferson C-123 in Conception Junction, Nodaway-Holt R-VII in Graham, North Nodaway R-VI in Hopkins, Northeast Nodaway R-V in Ravenwood, South Holt R-I in Oregon and West Nodaway R-I in Burlington Junction.

With the funding, each school will get a computer lab with 24 laptops, accompanying software and interconnection with the participating districts and other distance-learning sites.

“This funding will help bring the world to Northwest Missouri students,” said U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, who announced the grant Tuesday.

The schools’ grant was one of 78 the USDA announced Monday. Only one other was in Missouri. The grant distribution totaled $22.3 million in 31 states.