President Donald Trump validated a sustained and ultimately successful CSBA advocacy effort in support of the nation’s rural schools and communities when he signed S 356, the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Reauthorization Act (Crapo, R-ID), on Dec. 18, 2025. Secure Rural Schools provides payments to counties and public schools on federal forest land, sustaining services and school programs and preventing the closure of numerous isolated rural schools. Nationally, more than 4,400 rural schools across 41 states receive SRS funds.
CSBA has vigorously supported SRS since its inception, pushing to extend the period between reauthorization votes and making the issue a priority during the CSBA-ACSA Coast2Coast Federal Advocacy Trips. Without reauthorization, California’s rural schools would have lost critical funding, depriving students of needed support, exacerbating the state’s achievement gaps and diminishing economic opportunities in rural communities.
The President’s signature reauthorizes the SRS program through fiscal year (FY) 2026 (Oct.1-Sept. 30) and reimburses any missed payments for 2024 and 2025, reinstating a lifeline for local educational agencies in 29 California counties. California Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) led the effort in the House of Representatives to pass the Act, essentially the same bill as the Senate version the President signed in December. The bill will provide about $250 million a year for school and infrastructure initiatives in more than 700 rural counties with wide swaths of federal land including forests, national parks and other tax-exempt properties.
The Secure Rural Schools Act failed to win reauthorization in FY 2025 despite bipartisan support because it lacked a direct funding stream. The expiration of SRS strained the budgets of rural communities, school districts and county offices of education that rely on this revenue, so CSBA and other advocates redoubled efforts to make sure the legislation was passed and signed before the end of the 2025 calendar year.
CSBA thanks all the members who responded to Action Alerts, advocated in D.C., contacted their representatives or otherwise exerted influence in support of the Secure Rural Schools Act.
Note: According to news reports, LaMalfa passed away on Jan. 5.
