Gluesenkamp Perez Presses House Leadership to Extend Lifeline for Rural Schools Amid Dire Cuts
Last week, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) pressed House Leadership to urgently bring the Senate-passed Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act for a vote on the floor to ensure rural communities can continue to access vital funds for schools, infrastructure maintenance, and emergency services.
Because Congress failed to extend Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, the program is now behind schedule. Educators and support staff have been laid off in Skamania county, the Wind River Middle School is slated for closure, and infrastructure projects have been cancelled and delayed in Lewis County.
The SRS program is a historically bipartisan lifeline for rural communities who rely on timber revenue that has been limited by federal action and are highly impacted by federal lands. In Skamania County, only 1.8 percent of land can generate revenue for public services, and SRS funding accounts for 5.1 percent of the county’s budget.
Since its enactment, SRS has provided $7 billion in payments to more than 700 counties and 4,400 school districts across 40 states. In 2023, Cowlitz, Lewis, and Skamania Counties received significant amounts of funding through SRS.
Full text of Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez’s letter to House Leadership can be found here.
A letter to Speaker Johnson from the Lewis County Board of Commissioners can be found here. An op-ed from the Commissioners can be found here.
A letter of support from the Skamania County Board of Commissioners can be found here. Dr. Ingrid Colvard, Stevenson-Carson School District Superintendent, discusses the need for reauthorization here.
In February, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez helped introduce the bipartisan Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act in the House, and she held a press conference with Skamania County leaders to underscore the dire stakes of reauthorization.
Video of the February press conference can be found here.
Today, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez released a video showcasing the incredible talent of trades students at Stevenson High School.
In January, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez urged House Leadership to pass SRS reauthorization before the program could no longer stay on schedule. Last year, she also pressed House Leadership to include reauthorization in must-pass legislation before the end of the calendar year.
“The Senate passed a bill to extend this vital program, and it’s shameful that Congress was sent home until September without first voting on it. On the first day of school, our kids will be returning to schools that are drastically reshaped, and in some cases not even their own due to closures,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “Frankly, folks in D.C. don’t know what it’s like to live in rural America or a timber community that has already faced decades of painful cuts to the basics. We love our land, we love our neighbors, and we love our heritage. We’re just urging our federal government to uphold its promise to our kids and to let us rebuild the self-sufficiency that comes with responsible stewardship of our woods.”
“Since Congress allowed this program to expire, the Stevenson-Carson School District in Skamania County, Washington has had to lay off 10.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers and counselors, 8.9 FTE paraeducators, cooks, bus drivers, and other support staff, and 2 contracted student support positions, including therapists and prevention specialists. This means higher student-teacher ratios, consolidated bus routes, and a growing gap in critical student mental health and development support,” wrote Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez in the letter. “Most recently, Wind River Middle School was forced to close its doors and redirect its students to the existing elementary and high schools for the next school year. Each day without SRS payments brings further disruptions to student education and community stability. Elsewhere in my district, SRS funding supports the maintenance of over 1,200 miles of roadway in Lewis County. The reduction in funding has forced Lewis County to delay or cancel maintenance projects, leaving the infrastructure worse off and shifting what could have been routine maintenance to expensive emergency repairs down the line.”
“Our students will have a very different year as they return in August. Gone are many staff members who made a difference in their lives and helped them thrive no matter their challenges. Many of the resources that supported their achievement and wellbeing have been cut or greatly reduced,” said Dr. Ingrid L. Colvard, Superintendent of the Stevenson-Carson School District. “Our students and community understand that the loss of SRS funds is responsible for many of these changes. They hold onto hope that our lawmakers will remember that their future is at stake and make these funds available without further delay.”
“The Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funding is absolutely vital for the safety and growth of Lewis County,” said Lewis County Commissioner Scott Brummer. “With more than 1,200 miles of rural roadway to maintain, we rely on SRS funding to support critical infrastructure work, from chip-seal and pavement repairs to essential road services. Unfortunately, the dramatic decline in funding – from $2.2 million in 2006 to less than $700,000 in 2023 – has left us struggling to meet even our most basic maintenance goals. Each $1 million in funding allows us to repair 30 miles of road, but without adequate resources, we’re forced to delay or abandon projects, leading to more costly repairs down the line. We urge Congress to prioritize a long-term legislative solution to ensure continued revenue-sharing for rural counties and schools that depend on this funding for their survival.”
“In 1990, Skamania County received $10 million dollars from the active management of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest (today’s equivalent is $22.4 million) That was 25 percent of the revenue they produced. These funds were split between the schools and the county. By 2001, that amount dropped to near zero and SRS was put in place to make up some of the loss. But it too has been continually reduced. In the last SRS package, we each received about $1.1 million. The reauthorization of these funds is critical to the schools and the county,” said former Skamania County Commissioner Tom Lannen (District 2). “Staff reduction is the primary tool to offset these losses. The county has lost over 90 positions (36 percent) in the last decade as a result of inflation, skyrocketing costs, and ever-increasing government mandates. Schools have been even more impacted.
“I am very concerned that Secure Rural Schools (SRS) has not yet been passed. As a small, 72-student school in western Skamania County, we depend on SRS funds to remain open. If we were to close, our taxpayers would become part of the Washougal School District, paying significantly higher taxes,” said Liz Wilber, member of the Mt. Pleasant School Board. “As a school board, we have worked hard to be fiscally responsible, earning a perfect score in the state for our fiscal health. Please do all you can to encourage your fellow representatives to pass this important funding source.”