Perez urges renewal of rural schools program

U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, is once again calling for the renewal of a 25-year-old timber revenue program as small school districts in Southwest Washington slash their budgets for the 2025-26 school year.

During a February press conference at Mount Pleasant School in rural Washougal, the second-term congresswoman implored representatives to vote on the U.S. Forest Service’s Secure Rural Schools and Self-Determination Act of 2000, saying that the program needed to be renewed by Jan. 31 to avoid impacting rural counties that rely on the federal revenues.

Perez said in a July 28 news release that the program, which still hasn’t been renewed, is now “behind schedule” and that the inaction of representatives is leading to school closures and staff reductions.

“The Senate passed a bill (in December) to extend this vital program, and it’s shameful that Congress was sent home until September without first voting on it,” Perez said. “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.”

The Secure Rural Schools program helps fund schools, roads and other public services, such as law enforcement, in 700 rural counties, including Skamania. The counties are rich in timberlands but lack the type of industry that generates tax revenues. Perez said the program cost $253 million in 2024.

The lack of Secure Rural Schools funding has greatly impacted the Stevenson-Carson School District, which cut its 2025-26 budget by $1.85 million, Superintendent Ingrid Colvard said.

“About $830,000 of that is due to (Secure Rural Schools) funds not being reauthorized,” Colvard said.

As a result, the district is closing Wind River Middle School and consolidating grades at its Carson Elementary and Stevenson High school campuses, Colvard said.

“This is after needing to close an elementary school last year and combining two buildings into one,” Colvard said. “Our two remaining school buildings that are open will serve more students, and learners will need to share spaces across a wide span of ages.”

The district is also cutting 10 certificated positions and nine classified staff members.

“This is all quite significant,” Colvard said. “Our team is resilient and dedicated to giving our students everything possible in these dire circumstances. We are doing our best and remaining hopeful in spite of so much loss.”

Cathy Lehmann, the superintendent of the Mount Pleasant School District, said that the district “does not count on” Secure Rural Schools funds for its operating budget.

“This means that without them, we have less funding to go into our fund balance and capital funds for repairs, maintenance, technology purchases and larger-scale projects,” she said. “We did not have a direct impact on staffing because of not knowing whether this funding would actually come through and not wanting to put staff and direct student services in jeopardy.”

Doug Flanagan: 360-735-4669; [email protected]