Chiloquin Elementary School at Risk After Secure Rural Schools Bill Faces Setback

Chiloquin Elementary School, part of the Klamath County School District in Oregon, is one of many schools that will face a funding shortage in 2025. This is because the U.S. House of Representatives failed to renew a crucial bill, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, for the first time in 24 years. As a result, 30 counties in Oregon and other Western states will not receive millions in federal funds that usually help pay for schools, roads, wildfire prevention, and conservation projects.

The bill, originally passed in 2000, provides up to $80 million annually to Oregon, and has supported rural areas for over two decades. Although the Senate renewed the bill in November, House Republicans could not agree on funding details before a key deadline. As a result, the bill did not pass.

Senator Ron Wyden, who co-authored the bill, expressed disappointment over the failure, saying it would cause unnecessary hardship for rural communities that depend on the funding for schools, roads, and law enforcement. Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, who worked with Wyden on the bill, also shared his frustration.

The Secure Rural Schools bill was created to support counties with federal land by providing funds that help pay for essential services. These counties lost timber revenue when logging on federal land was reduced in the 1990s to protect wildlife. The money from the bill has helped keep these communities stable.

In 2023, Oregon counties received nearly $74 million through the act, and other states like Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Washington received millions as well. Over the years, Wyden and Crapo have worked together to ensure the bill’s renewal. Both senators plan to continue pushing for the bill’s passage in 2025.