Gluesenkamp Perez again urges House leadership to extend lifeline for rural schools

By The Chronicle staff
Posted 1/17/25

Recently, U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, sent another letter urging House leadership to immediately prioritize a three-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program to …

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Gluesenkamp Perez again urges House leadership to extend lifeline for rural schools

Posted

Recently, U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, sent another letter urging House leadership to immediately prioritize a three-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program to ensure rural communities can continue to access funds for infrastructure and schools, her office announced in a news release.

“I write to express my disappointment over the failure to include reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools program in the end of year spending package and call on you to prioritize reauthorization in the first weeks of this new Congress … This program provides a vital lifeblood to rural communities, funding roads, schools and other critical infrastructure,” wrote Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez in the letter. “Time and time again, our bipartisan colleagues have called on you to reauthorize this program without delay … It’s inexcusable this necessary, bipartisan program has been caught in political crossfire. For my counties, SRS funding can be make or break. Reauthorization is more urgent than ever. We cannot let our children bear the consequences of Congressional inaction.”

According to the Forest Service, reauthorization needs to be completed no later than the end of January in order for the program to stay on schedule.

In September, Gluesenkamp Perez urged House Leadership to include SRS reauthorization in must-pass legislation before the end of 2023.

The SRS program is a historically bipartisan lifeline for rural communities that rely on timber revenue that has been limited by federal action. In Skamania County, only 1.8% of land can generate revenue for public services, and SRS funding accounts for 5.1% of the county’s budget. The school district will have to make drastic cuts if SRS funding isn’t received, and the district has combined schools and laid off staff to try to save money, even with SRS funding.



Gluesenkamp Perez cosponsored bipartisan legislation in the 118th Congress to reauthorize the program and led a bipartisan amendment to include reauthorization in annual defense legislation. She said in the news release she has been working to build support for the effort among her colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

“Where your kids live shouldn’t determine the quality of education they receive — but in communities like mine, where funding for public services is tied to natural resources like timber, failure to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools program will further jeopardize our ability to adequately fund basic services,” Gluesenkamp Perez stated in the release release. “The Secure Rural Schools program is an investment in the equality of our children’s opportunities, and I refuse to allow federal inaction to undermine it. Rural schools are already enduring painful cuts — and schools in Southwest Washington have had to consider difficult choices in the face of the program expiring, including cutting down to a four-day school week.”

Dr. Ingrid L. Colvard, superintendent of the Stevenson-Carson School District, said the district serves over 700 students in a rural community that relies heavily on Secure Rural Schools funding.

“Our tax base is significantly limited by the federal lands within our boundary, and losing these monies will drastically impact the education of our learners,” Colvard stated in the release. “If we do not receive funding this year, we lose the dollars that pay for the equivalent of five teachers or 17 classified positions. The school year is nearly half over, and we cannot legally reduce teaching staff at this point in the year. This means essential services and personnel will be cut, and what can’t be cut will come from our very limited funds for facility repair. There will be no money left at that point to maintain our very old buildings. Schools have already been combined, staff already eliminated. For the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, our school district will need to cut $500,000 to $900,000 from the budget based on declining enrollment alone. This is overwhelming considering what we have already cut, and not receiving SRS funds will add an additional $800,000 to that amount. Our children deserve an education that provides what they need to prepare for their futures. They deserve enough adult staff to safely supervise them at school. We are careful stewards of funds, but our students should not suffer because their community includes a significant amount of federal land. I hope they are not forgotten in the midst of all that is happening politically. Time is running out and we need immediate help so we do not have to make choices that seriously impact learning and safety.”