As he prepares for the upcoming legislative session, state Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Centralia, says his fellow lawmakers should make additional investments in the state’s education system.
It’s a need Abbarno saw firsthand during a recent tour of the Napavine School District, as part of the Washington Association of Maintenance and Operation Administrators legislative school visits.
“Washington can help relieve the financial burden on overburdened communities by investing in education at the state level,” Abbarno said in a statement. “A larger state investment will help create successful opportunities for local funding. Our students and teachers in Napavine deserve those investments.”
The visit to Napavine came ahead of the 2025 legislative session, which will begin on Jan. 13 and run for 105 days. A member of the House Capital Budget Committee, Abbarno will take on a new role in the Legislature after his fellow Republicans elected him caucus chair of the House Republicans late last month.
The Napavine School District has roughly 1,000 students, and its three schools are situated on the same campus. Originally built in the 1980s, Napavine High School offers a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program that includes culinary, metal, welding and small engines.
“Napavine teachers, staff and administrators are doing an amazing job educating our children,” Abbarno said. “Unfortunately, the population is outgrowing the building space and too many students are learning in portables. Washington can, and must, do a better job providing safe learning environments and eliminate the funding gap between property-poor and property-rich districts.”
During the 2023 election, the Napavine School District attempted to pass a $19 million school bond that would have funded improvements to the campus’ junior high and high school facilities and improved safety, reduced overcrowding and enhanced the learning environment, according to the Lewis County voter’s guide.
While a majority of voters in the district supported the proposal, it fell short of the 60% supermajority required by state law to pass. Lawmakers have long discussed reducing the threshold needed to pass a bond to either a simple majority or 55%, though the idea has failed to gain traction in the state capitol.
During a community meeting in September, Shane Schutz, superintendent of the Napavine School District, said he would likely again approach voters with an additional bond attempt, though the portables would likely remain because “we need room for that growth.”
“There are a lot of communities educating students in outdated buildings and portables,” Abbarno said. “For too long, the state has allowed a growing disparity in education facilities, and it is property-poor districts that are falling further behind. I am committed to working on a state solution without creating unnecessary financial burdens on local property owners.”
